Jakop Ahlbom’s Lebensraum is a masterful, wordless homage to the silent film era—specifically the kinetic genius of Buster Keaton—blended with a surreal, modern edge. Since its premiere in 2012, it has become a staple of international mime and physical theater festivals, celebrated for its technical precision and unsettling atmosphere. Inspired by the silent and surreal universe of Keaton, Lebensraum is a gem of physical theater by Ahlbom. The show is a perfect comic device: transforming furniture, pinpoint gags, and visions that defy the laws of the stage. I like to highlight the “breakfast scene,” an exacting recreation of Keaton’s The Scarecrow (1920), featuring complex pulleys and a miniature tabletop train. The Buster Keaton Society praised it as a “fantastical display of admiration” that feels live and electric.
The title Lebensraum (German for “living space”) carries a heavy historical weight, but in Ahlbom’s hands, it refers to the physical and psychological constraints of two men sharing a microscopic apartment. The set is a “Heath Robinson” marvel of efficiency: the bed flips up to become a piano, and the bookcase doubles as a refrigerator.
Two men live in a cramped space, transformed into a perfect machine: every piece of furniture conceals a function, every gesture is calculated down to the last millimeter. But something is missing from their orderly life. To fill the void, they create a mechanical doll, which, however, comes to life, with opinions, with willpower. It is the beginning of an uneasy, hilarious, and catastrophic coexistence. To solve the lack of female company and handle the chores, the men construct a mechanical cleaning lady. However, the “doll” quickly develops a mind of her own, and what begins as a slapstick comedy about domestic engineering devolves into a struggle for control as the room—and their sanity—seems to shrink around them.
The band Alamo Race Track (Leonard Lucieer and Empee Holwerda) is an integral part of the performance. Dressed in suits that match the wallpaper, they “blend” into the set before emerging to play a contemporary indie-rock score. Critics have noted that this modern soundscape provides a sharp, effective contrast to the 1920s visual aesthetic.This modern slapstick comedy is accompanied live by the Dutch band Alamo Race Track, that blends the vintage elegance of silent cinema with contemporary rock energy.
The set, designed by Douwe Hibma and Ahlbom, is a playground of illusions where, while special props by Rob’s Propshop create amazing moments that bridge the gap between stage magic and physical comedy.
Direction and concept: Jakop Ahlbom
With: Reinier Schimmel, Jakop Ahlbom, Silke Hundertmark, Leonard Lucieer, Empee Holwerda
Music: Alamo Race Track Production design: Douwe Hibma and Jakop Ahlbom
Makeup: Anabel Urquijo Claveria
At Teatro Menotti , Milan, till 01.05.2026
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