Must Kast uses pigs to explore abuse of power
Saturday 15th August 2026 on 18:15 in
Estonia
Theatre company Must Kast’s barn cabaret “Oink” premieres at the Estonian Agricultural Museum, telling a story about power and its abuse through the characters of pigs, ERR reported.
Although violence and the abuse of power are serious subjects, the actors present them in a more playful form through sketches, music, singing and dance.
Director Jaanika Tammaru said the production aims to make audiences consider whether the balance of power in their own lives is in order.
“A pig is always very, very extreme. It is very cute, very intelligent, very cruel, very vulgar and very dirty. Since we also deal with power and violence by moving along extremes, the position of the pig in various familiar texts seemed to offer the right image through which to begin talking in this barn cabaret,” Tammaru said.
The production incorporates several well-known texts in recognisable form, including “Truth and Justice” and “Animal Farm.”
Tammaru said the idea of using pigs was partly inspired by the pigs in “Animal Farm,” as well as by an incident in which the leader of the free world told a female journalist to “quiet down, piggy” after she asked a sharp and justified question.
“That immediately raised the question of who is actually the pig in this situation,” she said.
The production also draws on “The Three Little Pigs,” the song “Train Ride” and the repeated sounds “oink, oink, oink” and “woof, woof, woof.” Tammaru said a reflection on “The Odyssey” through the eyes of Circe had been considered but did not make it into the production.
The play also includes the actors’ own experiences and thoughts about the abuse of power.
“As actors, we keep our eyes open in society, and everyone has something that speaks to them when we talk about power relations. It may be the power of the state over a citizen or the dynamics of power in close relationships. In several rehearsals, we discussed these issues around the table, and we were all able to share our own stories,” actor Maarja Tammemägi said.