2 more ghostly nights (and an afternoon) in Frankfurt

Vom Geist der Weihnacht, Frankfurt Alte Oper, 28 (7.30pm) & 29 December (2.30pm and 7.30pm) 2011

After seeing the show in Munich beginning of the month I wasn’t too sure whether I really wanted to see it again but with me being on annual leave, not much else on I wanted to see or any other plans I really fancied and not knowing when I would see Oliver Nöldner again in some other shows (it also helped I got, booking over Christmas, some decent seats for the shows I went to at the end), I was off to Frankfurt in the morning of the 28th December.

I must say from the beginning I enjoyed the three shows a lot more than the two in Munich. Even though in Munich they were already two weeks into the run it all felt so lazy but Frankfurt was a lot more fun. Me being still rather bouncy after the wonderful Monday I suppose also did help.

So after a lovely afternoon in Frankfurt, well as much as ugly Frankfurt can be lovely, I was off to see the show. I had a seat in the front row on the right aisle which was perfect for the opening scene. ;-) The show was also filmed, unfortunately apparently only for documentation, but I would love to get my hands on a copy. ;-)

And I think this fact helped a lot as the majority of the cast was just marvellous and strong and so much delight to watch, so even cheese can be yummy (I do like cheese, especially brie and Port Salut ;-) ).

I will definitely never be a fan of Sandy Mölling but even she felt a less stiff than in Munich though her extremely bad posture and some of her facial impression (some of the looks I am sure work in the bedroom trying to seduce her lover but not onstage) still make me cringe, her accentuation is still off often, how hard can it seriously be to understand which words in a sentence have to be emphasised I do not know (especially as she changes it from show to show and still gets it usually wrong) and she totally murdered “Ein Leben Lang” on Tuesday night (it was a tiny bit more bearable on Wednesday), it just sounded so off most of the time (and I just simply cannot stand her voice).

And that she did not harmonise with poor Krisha Dalke who I enjoyed a lot more (still not keen on his singing during that number, it sounded rasp as well, but his acting was convincing and made me believe about his character’s love for the girl, as Mr Butthead he was though not mad enough for me, just too cute) did not help either. If she ever fancies doing a musical again she seriously should consider some master class at some decent musical school in London or so and not some acting class in LA. But I would definitely prefer them to stop this stunt casting. I cannot imagine it sells more tickets because of casting such a c-celeb as I know people who were actually put off by this casting for people who might have gone because of her. And the show has been around long enough now and speaks for itself.

Werner Bauer was also a lot more secure in his performance and not as dull as in Munich. He still misses the drive and madness for me that e.g. Ron Holzschuh had last year (though it was so funny to see his coming down from the stage at the beginning to talk to the people in the audience reminded me of when he as Professor Abronsius in TdV gets stuck at one point in the show for a moment) but he harmonised a lot better with Kristian Vetter. And the scenes in which his character is caring about Scrooge are touching.

I absolutely loved Kristian Vetter, Chris Murray will always be “my” Scrooge, but Kristian’s interpretation is also stunning to watch. His Scrooge is such a convincing in mankind disappointed man, so hurt, so much let down that it is understandable why he turned into what he is (unlike Chris’ Scrooge was just an a***hole from the bottom of his heart ;-) ). And he definitely has a voice to die for and which is just most suitable for this part.

Besides Sandy Mölling I will also never like Sissy Staudinger, she just simply is loud, louder, the loudest. With her directly in front of me several times during these 3 shows I had to bear with her shouting that it hurt. Seriously I do not want to hear only her when there is an ensemble number! Her 90 seconds rap was 90 seconds too long. Not as monotone as in Munich but bad enough. And her limited facial impressions were… well…. oh dear, what facial impressions? Can Anne come back next year? PLEEEEASE. Or someone else? PLEEEEASE.

What I loved though was watching the rest of the ensemble. Thorsten Ritz was on as Mr Cratchit (also surprisingly for the shows on Thursday), who I already saw in that part last year on 27th December, and while I like Maciej Salamon who is the actual Mr Cratchit Thorsten just is more enjoyable for me, having more heart towards the people around him, his wife and his children as Timmy.

Mentioning Timmy: Florian Peters – I must say why I said after the Munich shows I was not too keen on him I do not know. His Timmy is just most adorable and he, at around the age of 24 I’d say, portrays the boy so well with so much cheekiness and charm. You can just tell how much he just enjoyed being on. As far as I know he just graduated, so I suppose it is not just a job for him yet. Well I can only hope it will never be one but a passion.

Other standouts for me in the ensemble were Martin Selle, Martin Schäffner (I wished I could see him in Avenue Q) and Stefanie Wesser (whom I loved as the angel understudy last year when I went to the show on the 19th December 2010, too bad I was not lucky to see her this year). It is such a shame that such talents are being underutilised.

Watching Oliver was also wonderful as always, I just love to watch him onstage, I just love his acting, not that his track is really challenging, but the faces he pulls are just making me smile and laugh though for me it is a shame to see how such a talent is actually wasted knowing what he is capable of. I can only wish him all the best for any auditions to come up to get a bigger role – or I finally start saving money for “I love you because” ;-)

What my personal highlight though was that the music was (mainly? It still sounded pre-recorded in some scenes) live performed by an eight/nine (?) piece band (didn't count exact number when they came onstage for curtain call) and not pre-recorded music tracks. That helped especially the non ballads to have more power and drive and giving the whole more atmosphere, songs as “Scrooge, wach endlich auf” just sounded so full and strong (but then the best songs in the whole show are the ensemble numbers anyway, the others are really mainly ballads). I can only hope they keep it for the next run if it comes back in 2012. Not sure what the decision was to have a band in Frankfurt, would be curious.

The two shows on Thursday were a bit flat compared to the Wednesday show, especially the matinee, but I still had fun.

The matinee was actually rather empty, there were only six people in the front row, yeah it is a bit close, but I have seen the show several times now, so am not into getting the whole picture anymore, but I want to see facial impressions and the next five, six rows of the centre block behind me were totally full and I do not spend 73 EUR on the 12th row or so for centre or lower rows with side view. Not sure whether it was because of that me being actually sitting pretty much on my own, as sat two seats away from the people in the centre, did not want to sit further central knowing someone’s track shockingly too well, but some cast as Andre, Martin Selle and Florian looked down a lot, so funny. And it actually got a lot funnier in the evening show as Florian certainly recognised me and every time he looked down he had the biggest smile on his face. Especially curtain call was entertaining. I was actually looking at Oliver first who was standing behind Florian but as he was more ‘Johnny head in the air’ again, I kinda got into this “smiling and giggling at each other” game with him. So cute.

Florian owns credit for the best scene of the day as well.

As typical for a final show in Germany (comparable to the typical muck up matinee in the UK), there were of course the odd jokes. When in one scene the Cratchit family are to have their Christmas dinner, Mrs Cratchit takes out of the oven not a ready chicken as she usually does but a tin with a pack of ready to cook dumplings, an frozen chicken and a saucier, as one of the kids loves dumplings with everything, it would make up the perfect dinner to just have dumplings for starter, main course and dessert. Florian totally cracked up, the others especially Thorsten too, but Florian just couldn’t help himself but bursts into laughter. It was just utterly hilarious.

Other little jokes were e.g. when in one scene Marley shouts out for the other ghosts by saying Scrooge’s name the others answered with “MAAARLEY”, a while still sleeping farting Scrooge, Jessica Wall as Liz Pommerey changed her lyrics when she sings about her illness from a cough to diarrhoea, hilarious, Julia Felthaus when onstage as the ghost Mrs. Pillbox had a dummy with her, all made me crack up and slightly irritated the elder couple next to me. Oops they never had heard of such tradition as learnt in interval…. But yeah, you could tell that this is a touring production and in different cities every year with not the usual fan crowd who know every single word of the show as very little people (but the scene when Florian cracked up when people realised something must have been different) noticed judging by the reactions.

Funny bits in the matinee were that when Marley appears the first time in the show he asks people in the audience whether they can see him as the people standing onstage cannot see him, so funny the reaction of the people he asked as they all said “no”, normally they say “yes” so his reaction was that normally the audience should see him. Then he walks around the people onstage saying that even though he shouts and straightens up there is no reaction but people asking to close the door – well usually but today an artificial snowman standing on the side Scrooge is to fall over later, loses its head. It was so funny as he reacted to that as well and adlibbed. That makes a performer definitely a good one coming up with something suitable and matching for the show. Had me and three girls on the left aisle in the front row (definitely fans of the show as they were prepared for Andre when he comes along with his collecting box) in stitches for a few seconds.

Well, it was definitely a good decision to come to Frankfurt and these three shows made up for the disappointment of when I saw the show in Munich. Already looking forward to December 2012 but desperately hoping for a different angel and a different Mrs Fezziwig. To the others: thank you for the amazing memories you have given me.