Drama Theatre halts productions by director who spiked drinks with MDMA

Estonian Drama Theatre has halted all future plans with recently hired director Oliver Reimann, who admitted twice putting MDMA in acquaintances’ drinks without their consent, ERR reported on Tuesday.

Reimann, a graduate of the 32nd class of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre’s School of Performing Arts, said in a social media post that he had used illegal substances during his first year at university. He said repeated use followed an initial experiment, although he believed he was in control of the situation.

“Unfortunately, I also hurt people close to me. On two occasions, in addition to myself, I put a party drug in a friend’s drink without us having agreed to it beforehand,” Reimann wrote. He said he was not seeking excuses: the acts were not malicious, but were completely wrong.

Reimann said he had apologised to both people involved. Before joining the theatre in the spring, he said, he had told the theatre’s management about the incidents, sought professional help, lost job offers and wanted to change after acknowledging his mistakes.

ERR contacted the Estonian Drama Theatre and Mart Koldits, head of the School of Performing Arts at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, for comment on Tuesday morning. Neither had responded by the time of publication.

A few hours later, Eesti Ekspress published a report by Eero Epner identifying the two people involved as Reimann’s coursemate Robi Varol and Richard Ester, a graduate of the school’s 31st class who joined the Drama Theatre in 2024. Reimann put the party drug MDMA in both men’s drinks without prior agreement or consent.

After the incident involving Varol, the school was informed. Koldits spoke with both Reimann and Varol, and Reimann was allowed to continue at the school on condition that nothing similar happened again. Varol also did not demand Reimann’s expulsion.

When rumours of a second incident began circulating, Koldits initially considered them too speculative. This changed after Varol told him this summer, following media interest, that another incident had occurred, this time involving Ester.

Koldits advised Reimann to seek help for substance dependence and to speak openly about the incidents in the media, describing this as Reimann’s only hope. He rejected claims that the school had covered up what happened, saying the matter had been discussed with the alleged offender, the victims, the course, key teaching staff and Reimann’s future employer.

That employer was the Estonian Drama Theatre, which announced in May that Reimann would join its staff. After being informed, the theatre’s artistic director, Hendrik Toompere Jr, discussed the matter with Koldits and Reimann. Toompere initially decided that work already under way could continue because Reimann did not justify his actions and appeared sincerely remorseful, while the school had confirmed that the situation had been addressed.

A few weeks later, Toompere learned about the incident involving Ester. Although communication between the two men appeared to be going smoothly, Toompere said in retrospect that he had been naïve. When reconciliation did not take place, Ester informed the theatre that he and Varol would approach the media.

At a meeting last week, Toompere told Reimann that his planned production Samuel’s Magic Pillow, which was due to premiere on December 5, would not go ahead and that all further plans had been suspended. It remains unclear whether Reimann will keep his position at the Estonian Drama Theatre.