alexis mermaid









LIARS

In LIARS, Henrike Iglesias, together with Olivia Hyunsin Kim and Olympia Bukkakis, examine cases of patriarchal violence and their amplification on social media. In a narrative, immersive installation, the audience moves through a performative social media feed.

The starting point is the trial between the two American actors Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard – one of many examples that mark a social backlash within discourses on sexualized and patriarchal violence since #MeToo. Why are women and queers who speak out about patriarchal violence still (or once again) so strongly distrusted? How does the myth of the “(im)perfect victim” play into this? How are social media tools being used to reinforce misogynistic and queerphobic tendencies? What role do we play as an audience? And what strategies and feminist visions help us to fight back and remain hopeful?

Premiere: 20.11.2025, Sophiensäle, Berlin

Concept, performance: Olympia Bukkakis, Olivia Hyunsin Kim, Marielle Schavan, Sophia Schroth
Concept, spatial design, video: Leo G. Alonso
Concept, sound design, composition: Malu Peeters
Costume design: Alexis Mersmann, Anne Marina Fidler
Dramaturgy, outside eye: María F. Giacaman Hasbún
Spatial design, video: Valentina Primavera, Anahí Pérez
Production management: ehrliche arbeit (DE), Maxine Devaud / oh la la – performing arts production (CH)
Press and public relations: Franziska Janke

Many thanks to the experts Asha Hedayati, Fiore Pagano, Mithu Sanyal and Tess Kelsey.

A production by Henrike Iglesias in co-production with Sophiensæle and ROXY Birsfelden. Funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion and the Capital Cultural Fund, Performing Arts Committee BS/BL. Co-production in residence: O Espaço do Tempo, supported by the Goethe-Institut in Portugal as part of the FELD/LAB project. With the support of Theaterhaus Mitte. Media partners: Missy Magazine, Siegessäule, taz.