Fist in Berlin with Grönemeyer Music – The Devil Show – Süddeutsche.de

Faust I and II at a time – is that under 21 lessons? And how does Herbert Grönemeyer as a theater musician? Questions and answers on the production of Faust at the Berliner Ensemble.

By Christine Dössel

Faust I and II at a theater evening – is that

This has been going, but only with extreme cuts?. When Peter Stein has clenched “Faust” staged at the Expo 2000, without any deletion, which took 21 hours. In Wilson at the Berliner Ensemble, there are now four hours fifteen minutes. “Faust” is traded relatively jagged. Easter walk, study, kitchen witch – everything (versüßlicht is their tragedy here difficult) only briefly touched on the fast track to Gretchen history. Auerbach’s Keller absent. Some scenes arise out only from core principles, which are then repeated several times. The story is told in pictures. The cultural history off and extravagant second section deals actually unplayable. Wilson goes ran as not even as a thinker, but as cheerful storyteller. Faust and Mephisto move in this “big world” like Alice in Wonderland. And hit nothing but grotesque characters

What is the staging

There is a Faustical.? – “Faust” as a rocking musical. Aesthetically a typical Wilson: well-lighted, high stylized picture show with actors who act like puppets. White painted faces, expressionist silent film gestures, loud noises increased, shear cut and shadow dance look. Everything runs like clockwork puppet. It is a game with duplication, echoes, movement in space. Not always great art (often sometimes cheesy). But very big crafts. The focus is on Mephisto, the devil, he is the puppet master, it’s his show. Faust himself is in the pictures bustle rather under, despite – or because – it equal to five times exists, at least in the first part. Also Gretchen is a triplet

How was the music of Herbert Grönemeyer

Catchy, snappy, pleasing, functional.? – And a bit too arbitrary. The amazing thing is Grönemeyer the evening actually composed not only written a few songs. It provides the entire soundscape, can organs, thunder, croon, rap, quilting and fiddle very much, depending on mood and scene location. Jazz, Blues, Flamenco, circus-like variety shows or gentle feeling music, whether ballads or hymns: In Grönemeyer’s Jukebox anything is possible. However, it often sounds by synthesizers and computer composition program known pieces. But there are also really good songs. A Grönemeyer was at the premiere as adding itself to the best in nöligsten Grönemeyer sound: the “watchman song”. It begins with the line “Born to see / appointed Look” and ends with the words: “You happy eyes / what ever seen her / it was that as it may, / it was so beautiful”

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Best Performance

Sensational Christopher Nell is as Mephisto – a sensuous blend of abgetakeltem old rocker, sly Großstadtindianer and enterprising transvestite. Monster agile, lascivious, mischievous. He can sing beautifully. And once even yodel.

Favorite scene?

At the end of one of his devil Mephisto decreases croissants and puts it to his old friend fist on the head. And then they sit side by side on a bench like an old married couple horned. They are not antagonists, but: one. “Where should now go now?” Asks Faust. “Where do you like it,” replies Mephisto. Then Faust: “Where do you like it.” Beautiful.

The staging is for you if …

… do not hold the “Faust” holy and again really want to indulge your child’s show and theater lust. And if you can not find a priori Wilson and Grönemeyer eh shit.

A sentence to Join the conversation?

“Which I love, who is seeking the impossible.”