Forty years after the publication of the groundbreaking exposé memoir Ganz Unten (Lowest of the Low), the undercover experience of German investigative journalist Günter Wallraff is transformed into a documentary opera in this UK premiere.
Disguised as a Turkish migrant worker in West Germany during the 1980s, Wallraff entered the hidden world of migrant labour for two years, experiencing and exposing the exploitation, racism and the harsh conditions faced by migrant workers. His revelations shocked Europe and are still strikingly relevant today.
Featuring music by renowned Turkish composer Tuluğ Tırpan, this docu-opera explores the everyday encounters and ethics of Wallraff’s undercover work, considering questions of cultural appropriation through the lens of today and investigating what drove Wallraff’s transformation.
Lowest of the Low will be performed in English.
Post-show talk
Join us immediately following the show on 14 August for a Q&A with Director & Librettist Mehmet Ergen and the Centre for Investigative Journalism, an organisation for the training and education of journalists in advanced investigative techniques.
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Running time
1 hour -
Age guidance
14+ -
Content warnings
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Discounts
Concessions Available
"Few people have done more to change the way postwar Germany looks at itself"
"Relentlessly contemporary... Mehmet Ergen carefully reconstructs the stages of Wallraff's undercover investigation – every scene hits its mark"– Süddeutsche Zeitung, on the 2025 Kunstfest Weimar production
"Emotionally compelling... A clear political vision"– Neue Musikzeitung, on the 2025 Kunstfest Weimar production
"Tuluğ Tırpan skillfully intertwines contemporary musical language with traditional Turkish harmonies and rhythms"– nachtkritik.de, on the 2025 Kunstfest Weimar production
"Grand opera meets harsh social realism... an honourable artistic achievement"– Die Welt, on the 2025 Kunstfest Weimar production
Production photos from the 2025 Kunstfest Weimar production
The Company
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Oscar Castellino
Ali
Oscar Castellino
Ali
A graduate of the RCM and recipient of the Christopher Ball Welsh National Opera Scholarship, and ensemble singer at the Royal Opera, Oscar made his solo debut at Welsh National Opera as George Benton in Dead Man Walking. The Times UK described his performance as James Meredith in Kommiltonen1 as ‘a highlight’, while the Morning Star praised him as ‘mesmerising’.
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Ömer Cem Çoltu
Ensemble
Ömer Cem Çoltu
Ensemble
Born and raised in Istanbul, Ömer Cem Çoltu graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. His theatre credits include The Lower Depths, The Cherry Orchard, No for an Answer, and Cry-Baby at Arcola Theatre, as well as Heart of Hammersmith at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. On screen, he played the lead in the film adaptation of the musical Alchemy, written by Clive Nolan, and voiced the role of Murat in the BBC Radio drama Black Water.
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Owain Gwynfryn
Adler
Owain Gwynfryn
Adler
Welsh baritone Owain Gwynfryn is an established performer on the UK operatic stage, with a repertoire spanning Verdi, Rossini, Mozart, and Puccini. This season he sings Germont in Traviata for at Paul’s Opera, Amonasro in Aida for Instant Opera, the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Arundel Cathedral, and covers Tonio for English Touring Opera. Recent highlights include Conrad in the UK stage premiere of Offenbach’s Die Rheinnixen for Gothic Opera, Alidoro in La Cenerentola for Hampstead Garden Opera, and appearances with Opera Holland Park and Longborough Festival Opera. Owain trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, winning the Keith Bonnington Award for Male Voices and the Nadine Benjamin ‘Everybody Can’ Robert Presley Award.
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Talha Kaya
Ensemble
Talha Kaya
Ensemble
Talha Kaya is a Turkish actor working across theatre, musical theatre, and opera. His theatre credits include Death of a Salesman, directed by Sir Rufus Norris, and productions with Zorlu PSM. He has collaborated with leading directors and companies in Turkey, performing in a wide range of classical and contemporary works. Based in the UK as a Global Talent visa recipient, Talha continues to build his international career, bringing a strong commitment to bold, character-driven storytelling to the stage.
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Lou Strenger
Ensemble
Lou Strenger
Ensemble
German actress Lou Strenger trained at the prestigious Leipzig University of Music and Theatre and began her career at Schauspiel Köln before joining the ensemble of Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus. Her acclaimed stage performances include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Polly in The Threepenny Opera, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, and Tessa Ensler in Prima Facie. For her works both on and off screen she has received multiple Theater Heute Best Young Actress nominations and was nominated for the Max Ophüls Prize for Best Emerging Actress as well as Best Actress in a Leading Role for the prestigious Deutsche Fernsehpreis.
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Ryan Wichert
Günter Wallraff
Ryan Wichert
Günter Wallraff
Film includes: Control (Studio Canal), Entropy (Amazon Prime), Munich (Netflix), The Behemoth (Black Mandala Films), Spencer (Shoebox Films), The Keeper (20th Century Studios), and Another Mother’s Son (Bill Kenwright Films).
TV includes: Maxton Hall (Amazon MGM Studios), Berlin Noir (AppleTV), The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix), Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin (Universal), Notruf Hafenkante (ZDF Studios), How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast) (Netflix), and Nazi Megastructures S4-5 (National Geographic).
Theatre includes: The Lowest of the Low (National Theatre Germany + Turkey), The Importance of Being Earnest (Euro Theatre Bonn), Wuthering Heights (Euro Theatre Bonn), The Cherry Orchard (Arcola Theatre).
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Olivia Ziani
Violin
Olivia Ziani
Violin
Olivia has performed in West End, UK and international touring productions of Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, Wicked, Miss Saigon, Love Never Dies, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Last Ship and Brigadoon. She regularly performs with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, as well as Chineke! Orchestra. Olivia has also performed with pop artists including Sting, Robbie Williams, Rita Ora, Adam Lambert and James Arthur, and has appeared performing on television shows including The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, The One Show, The Jonathan Ross Show, VEVO, and Michael McIntrye’s Big Show.
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Cubby Howard
Cello
Cubby Howard
Cello
Cubby Howard is a 22 year old cellist from Lancashire. He graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2025 specialising in Jazz. Since moving to London in 2021, Cubby has played festivals such as EFG London Jazz and Love Supreme, recorded at Abbey Road and Maida Vale Studios, as well as being a passionate teacher of the cello and piano. Recently, he completed a UK tour with Beyond the Blue after the release of their first studio album. His biggest early influences include Stéphane Grappelli, Nina Simone and Yo-Yo Ma.
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Tuluğ Tırpan
Piano
Tuluğ Tırpan
Piano
Tuluğ Tırpan is an internationally recognised Turkish composer, pianist, conductor and musical director whose work spans opera, musical theatre, symphonic music, chamber music, jazz and film scoring. With more than three decades of professional experience, he has established a distinctive artistic voice by combining the discipline of classical composition with the spontaneity of jazz and the dramatic language of contemporary theatre. Educated at Bilkent University and later at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, Tırpan has worked across Europe and Türkiye as a performer, composer and artistic collaborator. His career includes world premieres of original compositions, large-scale symphonic works, internationally acclaimed musical theatre productions, film scores and collaborations with some of the world’s leading musicians. His artistic activities have brought him to prestigious concert halls, opera houses and festivals including performances with the Amsterdam Metropole Orchestra, Vienna Classical Players, Wiener Jeunesse Orchestra, Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra and numerous state symphony orchestras in Türkiye. His music has been presented in Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, the United States and Türkiye.
International collaborations with artists such as Trilok Gurtu, Paulo Fresu, Nils Petter Molvær, Ambrose Akinmusire, Ibrahim Maalouf, Al Di Meola, Dave Weckl, Mike Stern and Benny Greb reflect the breadth of his musical language and his reputation as a composer and performer capable of moving fluently between classical, jazz and contemporary music. Today, Tırpan continues to compose, perform and direct large-scale productions while developing new works for opera, musical theatre, symphony orchestra and chamber ensembles. His career demonstrates a sustained commitment to artistic innovation, international collaboration and cultural dialogue.
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Mehmet Ergen
Director / Librettist
Mehmet Ergen
Director / Librettist
Mehmet Ergen is the co-founder and current Artistic Director of the Arcola Theatre, London, founding and co-curating Arcola’s annual Grimeborn Opera Festival as part of this role.
He was co-founder and the first Artistic Director of the Southwark Playhouse, Associate Producer at the Battersea Arts Centre, Opera Season Advisor and judge for BBC Radio drama.
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Tuluğ Tırpan
Composer / Musical Director
Tuluğ Tırpan
Composer / Musical Director
Tuluğ Tırpan is an internationally recognised Turkish composer, pianist, conductor and musical director whose work spans opera, musical theatre, symphonic music, chamber music, jazz and film scoring. With more than three decades of professional experience, he has established a distinctive artistic voice by combining the discipline of classical composition with the spontaneity of jazz and the dramatic language of contemporary theatre. Educated at Bilkent University and later at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, Tırpan has worked across Europe and Türkiye as a performer, composer and artistic collaborator. His career includes world premieres of original compositions, large-scale symphonic works, internationally acclaimed musical theatre productions, film scores and collaborations with some of the world’s leading musicians. His artistic activities have brought him to prestigious concert halls, opera houses and festivals including performances with the Amsterdam Metropole Orchestra, Vienna Classical Players, Wiener Jeunesse Orchestra, Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra and numerous state symphony orchestras in Türkiye. His music has been presented in Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, the United States and Türkiye.
International collaborations with artists such as Trilok Gurtu, Paulo Fresu, Nils Petter Molvær, Ambrose Akinmusire, Ibrahim Maalouf, Al Di Meola, Dave Weckl, Mike Stern and Benny Greb reflect the breadth of his musical language and his reputation as a composer and performer capable of moving fluently between classical, jazz and contemporary music. Today, Tırpan continues to compose, perform and direct large-scale productions while developing new works for opera, musical theatre, symphony orchestra and chamber ensembles. His career demonstrates a sustained commitment to artistic innovation, international collaboration and cultural dialogue.
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Simon Reade
Dramaturg
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Zeynep Anacan
Translator
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Richard Williamson
Lighting Designer
Richard Williamson
Lighting Designer
Previous work as lighting designer includes: The Olivier-award winning Rotterdam (West End/Off-Broadway/UK National Tour); Dogs of Europe (Belarus Free Theatre at Barbican Theatre and international tour); Richard III, An Arab Tragedy (RSC Swan Theatre/International tour); Sampled and Danse Élargie (Sadler’s Wells); Great Expectations (UK tour); Little Miss Sunshine (Arcola Theatre and UK Tour); New Nigerians, Drones Baby Drones, Shrapnel, Mare Rider, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, THE MISTAKE (Arcola Theatre and UK tour.)
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Defne Özdoğan
Original Costume Designer
Defne Özdoğan
Original Costume Designer
Defne Özdoğan is a freelance spatial designer based in London and Amsterdam, specializing in theatre and performance art. Originally from Istanbul, she holds a BA in Architecture from Central Saint Martins College of Arts. Her work spans stage and production design, exploring a variety of scales and narratives. Defne’s artistic vision draws on traditional craftsmanship, blending it with innovative, sustainable solutions.
She has collaborated with numerous stage designers on productions such as Cry-Baby the Musical, Possession, Sputnik Sweetheart, and No for an Answer at the Arcola Theatre. In addition to assisting on these shows, Defne has also led her own design projects for both film and theatre, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Arcola Youth Theatre), Mrs. Caliban (Theatro Technis), Captive (Independent Film), and Action at a Distance (Independent Film).
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Emir Gülerhan
Video Designer
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Beyhan Murphy
Original Movement Director
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Seeta Indrani
Revival Movement Director
Seeta Indrani
Revival Movement Director
Movement Director and Choreographer, creating original movement for classical, contemporary, and devised theatre. Working collaboratively with directors, performers, and creative teams, to develop physical vocabularies that deepen narrative, reveal character, and strengthen ensemble performance. Credits include Experiment.Spaces #1, a collaboration with a digital artist using dance to develop networked collaborative digital spaces (Monash University); Ay Carmela (Contact Theatre Manchester, dir. Ben Twist); Yerma (Bristol Old Vic, dir. Kristine Landon-Smith); The Tempest and The Real Don Juan (Oxford Stage Company, dir. John Retallack); El Adios (Progetta Danza, Padova, Italy); and Le Cid (The Maltings, Snape, cond. Howard Moody).
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Deniz Dortok
Score Editor
Deniz Dortok
Score Editor
Deniz Dortok is a London-based composer, arranger and performer whose work spans opera, theatre, film and concert music. He recently completed his Master’s degree in Composition at the Royal College of Music with Distinction.
His work includes acclaimed projects such as Toffee (BFI London, Straight 8 winner), Catfish the Cabaret (Edinburgh Fringe), and The Sequel (King’s Head Theatre), where his score was praised for enhancing the narrative’s mystical and eerie qualities. Recent projects include a new work for members of Riot Ensemble and a short opera, for which he composed both music and libretto, premiered this summer in collaboration with Tête à Tête Opera and the RCM Vocal & Opera Department.
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Gus Hodgson
Assistant Director
Gus Hodgson
Assistant Director
Gus Hodgson is a writer and director working across theatre and opera. His work is often surreal – exploring what we hold onto in the face of a strange world. Recent work as a director includes Eyes in the Side of a Skull (Seven Dials Playhouse) and How Long Have We Been Here? (Theatre 503); and as assistant director, Wife to James Whelan (Jermyn Street Theatre) and La Finta Giardiniera (Royal College of Music). He trained on LAMDA’s MA Directing course. -
Jamie Kubisch-Wiles
Stage Manager (on Book)
Jamie Kubisch-Wiles
Stage Manager (on Book)
Jamie Kubisch-Wiles is a freelance stage manager who completed the Andrew Lloyd Webber Traineeship for Assistant Stage and Production Management at The Watermill Theatre in 2019.
Credits as stage manager on book: Educating Rita (Reading Rep), With Courage (The Other Palace), All’s Well That Ends Well (Shakespeare In The Squares tour), The E.U. Killed My Dad (Jermyn Street Theatre), 1000 Ways The World Will End (King’s Head Theatre.)
Credits as assistant stage manager: The Last Five Years (The Barn Theatre tour), Jack and the Beanstalk (The Theatre Chipping Norton), DORIAN (Reading Rep Theatre), The Hound Of The Baskervilles and One Million Tiny Plays About Britain (The Watermill Theatre.)
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Bessy Mo
Costume Supervisor
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Yağmur Karabacak
Design Placement
Yağmur Karabacak
Design Placement
Yağmur Karabacak is an architect and theatre designer currently pursuing an MA in Theatre and Performance Design at Wimbledon College of Arts, University of the Arts London. With a strong foundation in architectural design, her practice explores the intersection of spatial dynamics, scenography, and movement within performance environments. Driven by an interest in contemporary movement and dance, her approach explores how physical performance shapes scenographic space, bridging structural precision with narrative design.
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Matt Pierce
Production Assistant
Matt Pierce
Production Assistant
Matt has been part of the Arcola Front of House team since 2022. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago and has directed productions at LAMDA, University of Northampton and Chicago’s Strawdog Theatre.
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Event Instance Listings
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Wed 12 Aug
7.30pm
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Thu 13 Aug
7.30pm
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Fri 14 Aug
7.30pm
Post-show talk
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Sat 15 Aug
7.30pm
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