Wo? Wenn nicht alle da! / That’s the Way to do it!
This was a festival dedicated to a true European.
He pops up all across the continent, and possesses such an extraordinary ability to absorb distinctive regional traits that everyone claims “He’s one of us!” But actually, he’s a very widely traveled master of amusing mayhem whose roots extend throughout Europe and beyond. His name is Kasperl (Austria), Kasper (Germany), Mr. Punch (UK), Pulcinella (Italy), Vitéz Lázló (Hungary), Guignol (France) and Don Cristobal (Spain), to cite just a few.
This cheeky little headbanger is actually a centuries-old theatrical tradition. But because long traditions have a tendency to get venerable, stiff and awkward, Linz09 commissioned four companies—maschek (Austria), Guyla Molnàr (Hungary/Italy), Hans-Jochen Menzel (Germany) and Neville Tranter (Australia/Netherlands)—to each design a Punch & Judy Show expressly for the Capital of Culture. You might say that the intention was to put the quarrelsome cudgel-swinger to the test and find out whether he can still dish it out, or if his brand of lusty anarchy just doesn’t strike the right note anymore.
These four productions were the core of the festival. Arrayed about them was an interesting selection of plays, each with its own take on the fascinating tradition of this genre and each bringing in it own fresh, poetic, critical, contemporary approach to theatrics.
Almost 2,000 theatergoers came to enjoy the funny, bizarre and occasionally morbid antics of this chameleon-like grand old man of the theater.
WHAT // Theater festival
WHEN // November 11-21, 2009
WHERE // Hafenhalle09
maschek (AT): 09.09.09
Television manipulates the world. maschek manipulate television. Therefore maschek manipulate the world. At least for a day.
09/09/09, the ninth of September 2009, provides the starting point for this media Kasperl theatre. On this day maschek recorded 100 hours of material from news channels which they use as the basis of their performance. What if it’s not a disturbed priest but Hugo Chavez who hijacks a plane in Mexico? What if Frank Stronach thinks he’s buying OPEC rather than OPEL? If the pictures of the opening ceremony for the Dubai subway system show a terrorist attack rather than a public festival? What if the staging of a Michael Jackson Tribute Concert in front of Schönbrunn Castle turns out to be a giant fraud?
maschek’s many voices are the Kasperls of the evening. Their Kasperl theatre features characters from public life - in two senses. While they are doing voiceovers for them, maschek are also talking about them. Kasperl is hiding behind the many masks he provides voices for.
maschek are Peter Hörmanseder, Ulrich Salamun and Robert Stachel. They have worked with media content for over ten years – they collect, observe, reverse, sample, adapt and comment on these images, while analysing, re-editing and dubbing them. They take the shells of characters and make fun of them by assuming control of their own mediated effects.
WHEN // 11 and 12 November 2009
WHERE // Hafenhalle09
Category: Festival, Theatre
to the project page
back
