Intoxication and Rage. Studies on the Authoritarian Character is a Bulgarian-German performance by the German media and performance collective LIGNA, in collaboration with Stefan A. Shterev and Emiliyan Gatsov. The production explores the appeal of fundamentalism, authoritarian politics, and radical notions of community, posing the question of why, in times of crisis, authoritarian thinking once again begins to appear seductive.
The performance is structured as a promenade and does not follow a traditional dramaturgical model. Instead, it creates a sonic and collective environment in which the audience becomes an active participant. Through voice, sound, and shared presence, the piece transforms the stage into a space for experiencing the very mechanisms of submission, suggestion, and mass mobilization.
LIGNA — the collective of Ole Frahm, Michael Hüners, and Torsten Michaelsen — is among the notable names in European performance and media art, known for its work with group audio situations and its exploration of social and political processes. In 2017, the group received the George Tabori Prize for independent performing arts in Germany.
The performance also has a strong international presence: it has been presented in Frankfurt, Sofia, Prague, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Kassel, Potsdam, Rijeka, and Plovdiv, establishing itself as a powerful political and sensory theatrical experience.
With English subtitles
