It is arguably the most famous opening of a novel in modern literature: Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. His family’s pity soon turns to alienation and aggression. In the end, Samsa’s death is a relief for everyone. Set designer and director Manuel Gerst, a former member of the cult performance group Monster Truck, transforms Kafka’s story into a happening.

At the heart of his production lies the figure of the tragic beetle, which once again undergoes a process of transformation: a stag do meets performance art. Set against the backdrop of the tension between impairment and wholeness, Kafka’s parable is interpreted here as a story about disability. The aggression towards the deformed Other in the story is channelled on stage into aggression against the object.