According to Malmö Dockteater, an experimental adult Swedish company, Jackie Collins’s first novel The World Is Full of Married Men has been adapted into a puppet production playing at The Yard theatre in London until August 1. Directed and puppet-designed by Erik Holmström, the show uses miniature lightboxes and repurposed Barbie dolls to explore 1960s sexual dynamics, marriage, and female ambition in swinging Hampstead.
Behind the Adult Swedish Puppet Adaptation of Jackie Collins
Jackie Collins didn’t shy away from human sexual dynamics, and her debut novel exposed her early talent for capturing love and sex within the bounds of patriarchy. Set in the leafy green film industry of 1960s Hampstead rather than the Hollywood Hills, the story has now been brought to the stage in miniature, played out in a series of lit doll’s houses by Malmö Dockteater. Director Erik Holmström crafted dolls equipped with pubic hair, gigantic erections, and heavy, surround-sound breathing.
The production features eye-watering helpings of nudity, fellatio, cunnilingus, quickies, and straight-up bonking. This puppetry makes the adult content in the West End puppet production of Avenue Q look like The Muppet Christmas Carol by comparison. Scripted originally in Swedish and translated by Lulu Raczka back into English, the play relies on two puppeteers, Erik Olsson and Kajsa Ericsson, alongside videographer Josefin Beischer, whose roving camera relays the action onto a big screen.
Did you know?
The miniature lightboxes used in the production were designed by Maja Kall, featuring intricate period details ranging from 1960s wallpaper to intricately designed drinks cabinets, hotel-room shag pads, and nightclubs.
Exploring 1960s Marriage, Infidelity, and Power Dynamics
The narrative explores the politics of a long marriage, centering on Linda, a woman stuck in a 1950s life of housewifery, boredom, and yearning reminiscent of Betty Draper from Mad Men. Her philandering husband, David, engages in an affair with aspiring actor and model Claudia. While the production lacks Collins’s creation Lucky Santangelo, the female characters still come out on top, highlighted by David’s sexually voracious secretary.
Collins wrote during the era of John Updike, and the adaptation nods to her literary knowingness with a fun allusion to his Rabbit, Run series on marriage longueurs. Despite generating nervous giggles from the audience, the story delivers universal truths about sexual relationships and inequality that remain utterly relevant today.
Production Scale and Visual Design at The Yard Theatre
The staging succeeds through its left-field weirdness. The puppeteers voice all the characters while occasionally joining the story dressed as lifesize versions of the dolls. Sound effects remain graphic, particularly during the sex scenes. Splicing the puppet world with human actors highlights the comedy while infusing the dolls with more humanity.
Running at The Yard theatre in London until August 1, the production sets a precedent for relaying all of Collins’ magnificent back catalogue this way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is The World Is Full of Married Men playing?
The production is playing at The Yard theatre in London until August 1.
Who created this puppet adaptation?
The show was created by the experimental adult Swedish company Malmö Dockteater, directed and designed by Erik Holmström, with an English translation by Lulu Raczka.
Is the production suitable for children?
No. The production features explicit adult content, including nudity, fellatio, cunnilingus, quickies, and straight-up bonking performed with repurposed Barbie dolls.
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