The young prince frees the greatly-feared Iron John from the cage where he is kept, although it is strictly forbidden, and follows him home to his dangerous swamp. Due to the fact that he follows of his own free will the prince is not sucked into the swamp like those before him. Instead, he is initiated by Iron John into the mysteries of life. The savage turns into the wise master. The prince however fails to complete the task he is given by his master and so must return to the world. On reaching a foreign royal court, he is unable to make himself known as a prince, or to speak of his experiences, and so he lives as a recluse. Only the princess is able to recognize his true royal qualities and sees him as himself, irrespective of his origin. She puts him to the test.

We all have a swamp somewhere inside us. We prefer not to gaze too deeply into this swamp – it could be disconcerting, unpleasant, murky... And so we try to stay on the surface of life. This almost works. But there is the constant presence of something hidden. Those brave enough to meet Iron John, to liberate him from where he is kept boxed-up and instead to follow him where he goes, will be guided to a new depth and freedom.

The fairy tale ‘Iron John’ is about growing up and the inner development of a young person. The king’s son leaves the safe world of his parents’ home and, after making a mistake, has to learn to act independently and take on responsibility. Iron John symbolises original strength and is a kind of mentor who accompanies the boy on his journey. Through courage, modesty and a willingness to help, the king’s son grows inwardly.In the end, he is rewarded for his development and recognised as a mature person. The fairy tale shows that personal strength comes from experiences, mistakes and inner growth. Nicole & Martin are performing this production for the first time together with the 4 young people who accompany them on the 2026 tour.

Premiere: 9th April 2016, new version 2026
Production and Concept: Nicole & Martin
Author: from the Brothers Grimm 
Theatre Version: Nicole & Martin and Dominique Saner
Actor and Technical Director, Organisation: Martin Gubler 
Actors 2026: Nathan Robinson, Liv van Pernis, Milo Calabrese, Joana Cordes
Director: Dominique Saner 
Choreography of the artistic elements: Szilard Szekely 
Choreography of the dance elements: Andrea Herdeg
Supervision (music and compositions) Mauro Garbani
Wardrobe, Artistic Consultant: Maria Lehmann-Wipplinger 
Studio Management (Costumes and Props): Ruth Mäusli

Support
Fachausschuss Theater und Tanz Region Basel, Swisslos, kis.bl, Fondation Ernst Göhner, Fondation Oertli, Migros pour-cent culturel, Fondation Suisse des Artistes Interprètes, Maryon Stiftung