“Oracle” – Łukasz Twarkowski’s new play about Alan Turing and AI

Following the great acclaim for the play “Rohtko”, Polish director Łukasz Twarkowski returns with “Oracle” – the second part of his captivating scientific trilogy. This time, his artistic exploration focuses on Alan Turing – the brilliant mathematician, cryptologist and visionary who pioneered the era of artificial intelligence. The world premiere will take place on 28 August 2025 at the prestigious Ruhrtriennale Festival in Duisburg, Germany. The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is a co-producer of the play. 

Alan Turing on stage: a contemporary drama about genius and tragedy

Following the phenomenal success of “Rohtko” on prestigious stages and at festivals across Europe, director Łukasz Twarkowski and his team now present the next instalment of their trilogy. “Oracle” explores the fusion of theatrical and cinematic expression while delving into the mysteries of Alan Turing’s life. The performance highlights his groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of natural and artificial intelligence. Turing’s famous test was designed to determine whether a computer could imitate a human being so convincingly that its interlocutor would be unable to tell the difference between man and machine.

Yet, despite his extraordinary achievements, Turing was persecuted for his sexual orientation. Forced into chemical castration, he lived a life marked by secrecy and tragedy. He was a scientist capable of solving the world’s greatest puzzles, yet his own life remained an enigma. His enduring legacy is the Turing machine – sometimes referred to as the “oracle” – a theoretical construct whose physical realisation continues to elude us.

“Oracle” – Łukasz Twarkowski’s new play about Alan Turing and artificial intelligence

Łukasz Twarkowski and his team take on the tragic story and enduring legacy of Alan Turing. Set between post-war Britain and a boundless digital reality, “Oracle” examines the politicisation of technology. Through immersive soundscapes and film projections, the performance blurs the boundary between reality and illusion, posing the question of whether advanced technology may ultimately be indistinguishable from magic.

The world premiere of “Oracle” will take place on 28 August 2025 at the prestigious Ruhrtriennale – an international festival in Germany’s Ruhr region showcasing cutting-edge theatre, music, dance and visual arts in unique post-industrial venues. The audience will have the opportunity to see the performance for the first time on 28 August 2025 in Duisburg. The official premiere will follow on 19 September 2025 in Riga.

Łukasz Twarkowski’s Scientific Trilogy – Part II: “Oracle”

The production is created in collaboration with international partners: Dailes Theatre, Ruhrtriennale Festival of Arts, NewError, Comédie de Genève, Piccolo Teatro di Milano, De Singel Antwerp, with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Latvijas Mobilais Telefons is the innovation partner. The initial concept for the text was developed during the Complicité Mudlarks international residency, supported by Complicité Theatre and the Polish Institute in London.

“Oracle” – world premiere in Duisburg at the Ruhrtriennale

• World premiere: 28 August 2025, 7:00 pm
• Further performances: 29 August 2025 at 7:00 p.m. and 11:15 p.m., 30 August 2025 at 7:00 p.m., 31 August 2025 at 6:00 p.m., 2 September 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
• Venue: Theatre, Ruhrbühnen for Democracy Kraftzentrale, Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord
• Tickets: ruhrtriennale.de
• Production: Dailes Theatre Latvia, Ruhrtriennale
• Co-production: New Error, Comedie de Geneve, Piccolo Teatro di Milano - Teatro d’Europa, De Singel Antwerp, Adam Mickiewicz Institute
• Creative team:
  • Director: Łukasz Twarkowski
  • Text, dramaturgy: Anka Herbut
  • Stage design, lighting concept: Fabien Lédé
  • Costumes: Svenja Gassen
  • Video design and digital media: Jakub Lech
  • Music: Julek Ploski
  • Choreography and art cooperation: Paweł Sakowicz
  • Light design: Eugenijus Sabaliauskas
  • Assistant director: Diāna Kaijaka
  • Assistant dramatist: Loreta Kalniņa
  • Video assistant: Ričard Žigis
  • Actors: Juris Bartkevičs, Kaspars Dumburs, Klāvs Kristaps Košins, Mārtiņš Meiers, Katarzyna Osipuk, Rytis Saladžius, Nelė Savičenko, Artūrs Skrastiņš, Ilze Ķuzule-Skrastiņa, Vita Vārpiņa, Madara Viļčuka, Xiaochen Wang