Lügenparty

An experiment, a game, a party – the audience becomes a giant lie detector.

Adults are always saying: “You must tell the truth!” Yet they lie all the time themselves. On average, twice a day. Really? Made-up stories spread on social media, Donald Trump talks about ‘alternative facts’, and there are plenty of tall tales and fake news in the school playground – what on earth can you believe anymore? Yet we all lie now and then: out of politeness, to protect friends, or because little white lies make life a bit easier.

In its new interactive performance, the Turbo Pascal collective explores truth and lies: Is it a good thing if there is a single shared truth, or do many truths coexist? Should politicians be obliged to always make accurate statements? Do children have a right to the truth? When is a little fibbing okay? And when isn’t it? Lügenparty transforms the theatre into a space for gathering and negotiating social processes, dynamics and utopias. Together with the ensemble and the audience, Turbo Pascal forms a lie detector to find out what is really true. Everyone can join in and vote: true or false – what do you think? The theatre and performance collective Turbo Pascal is based in Berlin and has been working continuously with the Sophiensælen since 2008, as well as with the HAU, the Deutsches Theater and the Theater an der Parkaue.

Their production Böse Häuser was invited to the Stückemarkt at the 2018 Berlin Theatertreffen and honoured with the Tabori Prize, Germany’s highest award for the independent performing arts. Unterscheidet euch at the Theater an der Parkaue Berlin received the Ikarus Prize in 2019.