Premiere of The Copies: Cloning between drama and ethics at the Burgtheater!

Premiere of The Copies: Cloning between drama and ethics at the Burgtheater!

On October 3, 2025, the play “The Copies” by the British author Caryl Churchill celebrated its premiere in the vestibule of the Burgtheater in Vienna. Churchill, who particularly caused a sensation in the 1980s with her work “Top Girls”, deals with a highly topical topic in this piece – cloning and the ethical questions associated with it. Because cloning is not just a technical process; it also raises essential questions about identity.

The story revolves around Bernard 2, a clone who discovers that he was made from the cellular material of his biologically conceived brother. His father Salter gave birth to him and other clones illegally. This leads to inevitable family trauma. The original Bernhard sees his uniqueness threatened and becomes entangled in a conflict that develops from a family drama into a gripping thriller. The key question Churchill raises is what makes an individual unique: is it heredity or nurture?

Insights into the piece

The dramaturgy unfolds in a sequence of dialogues, which are brought to life by the direction of Sebastian McKimm. The characteristic conversations are often short and broken, which increases the tension between the characters. Hans Dieter Knebel acts as father Salter, while Justus Balamohan Maier embodies the various sons. The production enters into a dialogue with modern technology and reflects on how cloning and DNA manipulation can shake the understanding of humanity.

Caryl Churchill examines the development of cloning and makes it clear that these practices are considered “out of fashion” in today's society, not least because of the emerging discussions about artificial intelligence. While the evening in the Burgtheater encourages consideration of questions about the nature of humanity, it also becomes clear that the world is endangered by perfect imitations - individuality is increasingly falling by the wayside.

Background on the topic of cloning

Cloning itself, first brought into the spotlight by Dolly the sheep, raises a variety of ethical concerns. It enables the creation of identical organisms, raising profound questions about human dignity and self-image. Critics warn of the psychosocial effects and threat to the identity of clones. Is a clone truly a distinct person, or are they merely copies of an original existence?

When the cloning process was first successfully used in mammals, many people were shocked. The need to obtain consent from everyone involved in cloning, as well as the health risks to the clones themselves, are central issues in current debates about the future of biogenetics. The cloned Dolly was successful after 277 attempts, highlighting the challenges of this procedure - only about 3% of attempted clone embryos actually reach birth.

In the discussion about cloning and its implications, “The Copies” is an exceptionally relevant discussion: it not only highlights family and identity-related conflicts, but also deals with the fundamental questions that affect our society today. With a look at the balance between progress and ethical standards, it encourages reflection on where we as humanity want to arrive.

With this performance, the Burgtheater offers an opportunity to address these questions during a stimulating evening of theater - not only lighting the stage, but also raising awareness of the challenges and opportunities that come with cloning. The production of “The Copies” is an impressive example of how theater can function as a mirror of society.