The Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, Theater der Welt, The Baxter Theatre and Handspring Puppet Company present J.M Coetzee’s Life and Times of Michael K, an exciting, creative and unique collaboration between Lara Foot (CEO and Artistic Director of the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town) as writer/ director, and the internationally acclaimed and Toni award winning Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler of the Handspring Puppet Company. The actors and performers will be chosen from the very best of The Baxter Theatre Cape Town, South Africa and The Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus. Coproduced by Le Grand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg.

When his mother wants to return to die on the farm where she grew up, Michael K embarks on a journey through a country shattered by the confusions of civil war. However, she dies shortly after they set off – and Michael must continue in an effort to take her ashes home. "In a violent world, Michael K is a simple prophet who seeks strength in his humanity and his deep connection to the earth," says Lara Foot. 

The production combines puppetry, vivid cinematic visuals, extraordinary music by Kyle Shepherd and live actors. The puppet Michael K as well as the ensemble of actors who narrate directly to the audience; complement the story, enable the third person narrative perspective, and at the same time provide us with a privileged insight into the character’s inner thought- processes. The creative team’s development process involves writing the theatre production in tandem with creating and carving the puppets and workshops are currently on-going.

The creative team will use cinematic imagery and beautifully carved 3⁄4 life size puppets which will embrace the story and philosophy of Michael K with an aesthetic grace that reflects the writing of J.M Coetzee and the evocative Karoo landscape, the magical desert plains and 'bush' of South Africa.

Director Lara Foot says: “The world has never been this insanely polarised and violent; Michael K, who is much like a simple prophet, will not bow down to the inane and cruel domination of politics and power, and chooses rather to find strength in his own humanity and his profound connection to the earth. This is a hauntingly beautiful story.”

Life and Times of Michael K will premiere in 2021.