Liv Strömquist's New Play Dissects the Obsession with Self-Help Culture
A new play by Swedish artist Liv Strömquist, Liv, Love, Laugh Strömquist, is set to challenge audiences at Vienna's Volkstheater. The production dives into the self-help industry, questioning why people seek guidance and how societal trends shape their choices. The play transforms Strömquist's sharp, comic-style observations into a dynamic theatrical experience.
The idea first came from Swedish artist Felicia Nilsson, who proposed adapting Strömquist's work for the Viennese stage. Now, under the direction of Anna Marboe, the play promises to blend intellectual depth with emotional resonance—much like the comics that inspired it.
The play unfolds as a kaleidoscopic exploration of self-optimization, a movement that has surged globally over the past decade. Digital tools, from fitness trackers to nutrition apps, now let people monitor and refine their habits with precision. In Germany alone, 21% of the population uses such trackers, with 18% focusing on fitness and 4.8% on diet. Advances in AI, mobile apps, and the constant datafication of daily life have made personal improvement more accessible than ever.
On stage, six actors—costumed to resemble figures from Strömquist's comics—function as a single, fluid mind. Their performance mimics a stream of consciousness, reflecting the fragmented yet interconnected nature of self-help culture. A large racetrack dominates the set, symbolising the relentless pursuit of career success as another path to self-actualization.
Marboe, the Viennese director, emphasises that the play does not mock those obsessed with self-care or rigid beauty routines. Instead, it acknowledges their desire for control in an often overwhelming world. She also highlights that caring for others, far from being purely selfless, can foster community and improve quality of life.
Strömquist's original comics are celebrated for weaving philosophy, history, and psychology into biting social commentary. The play builds on this foundation, using theatre to dissect why people turn to self-help—and what they truly hope to find.
The production opens at the Volkstheater with a clear goal: to provoke thought without judgement. By blending satire, psychology, and visual storytelling, it invites audiences to reflect on their own relationship with self-improvement. The play's run will test whether theatre can mirror the same depth and provocation found in Strömquist's influential comics.
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