Shocking! Positively shocking-ly enjoyable!
Blondgirl Undercover - Domfestspiele, Bad Gandersheim, 15th July, 2012
Sometimes you really must wonder, well I do, what random places I go to these days to see shows, well originally certain people in shows.
Cast:
Hubert - Florian Hacke
Stefan - Thomas Christ
Harry - Robert Meyer
Shan Zhai - Sebastian Hammer
Jacques - Karsten Kenzel
Bennybjörn - Mickey Petersson
Dr. No - Dirk Weiler
Olga - Alexandra Farkic
Mimi - Navina Heyne
Vogler - Mario Gremlich
Blondgirl - Anaïs Lueken
Pictures above taken from the official website
Read other posts from the Domfestspiele here for Chess and here for Domspitzen
Some pictures from the little "pre-show" event outside the stage area
Sometimes you really must wonder, well I do, what random places I go to these days to see shows, well originally certain people in shows.This was the case again last weekend when I went to a Sunday matinee of a show described as a musical crime comedy that took the classic James Bond story which was shaken, not stirred, sorry for cheap punchline, not mine but theatre's play description, and e voilà a new show was created especially for this summmer's Bad Gandersheim's Open Air Domfestspiele featuring most probably (nearly) every single cliché of James Bond movies and German crime TV series plus music from these.
Bad Gandersheim is a small town in the middle of nowhere in the south of Lower Saxony, well at least it felt like that considering how long it took to get there and having to change trains twice etc..
But once I got there I was rather impressed by how professional and well organised it all seemed.
The open air festival has been on for many years, so they have their routine, still I have seen others being less impressive.
The 1,000 seats temporary theatre is built in front of a church with some catering, info point etc. outside on the market place.
But not just the surroundings were surprisingly even the show was despite the rather weird descriptions I had read.
Bad Gandersheim is a small town in the middle of nowhere in the south of Lower Saxony, well at least it felt like that considering how long it took to get there and having to change trains twice etc..But once I got there I was rather impressed by how professional and well organised it all seemed.
The open air festival has been on for many years, so they have their routine, still I have seen others being less impressive.
The 1,000 seats temporary theatre is built in front of a church with some catering, info point etc. outside on the market place.
But not just the surroundings were surprisingly even the show was despite the rather weird descriptions I had read.
Cast:
Hubert - Florian Hacke
Stefan - Thomas Christ
Harry - Robert Meyer
Shan Zhai - Sebastian Hammer
Jacques - Karsten Kenzel
Bennybjörn - Mickey Petersson
Dr. No - Dirk Weiler
Olga - Alexandra Farkic
Mimi - Navina Heyne
Vogler - Mario Gremlich
Blondgirl - Anaïs Lueken
 |
| Dr No and Blondgirl |
So the show... It all started already a few minutes before the actual show.
Doors to the "theatre" were not open, you were waiting hanging around the market place when you suddenly heard some car noises, some rattling, an explosion - a car had a (fake) accident on the market place just outside the venue. Some firefighters appeared, then two police officers, the area's to be sealed off, well all people standing around and watching needed to go to a safety area - yes, inside the theatre.
Doors to the "theatre" were not open, you were waiting hanging around the market place when you suddenly heard some car noises, some rattling, an explosion - a car had a (fake) accident on the market place just outside the venue. Some firefighters appeared, then two police officers, the area's to be sealed off, well all people standing around and watching needed to go to a safety area - yes, inside the theatre.
This was done so cleverly already with the actors playing the various roles and getting the audience inside and to their seats.
Once you took your seat, a random guy appeared onstage (Hubert) who's some kind of first aid (and somehow a guide through the show) and now the show really started...
The car accident was a suspected attack with the driver dying and attracting various agents from other countries to the town of Bad Gandersheim, one Russian, one Swedish, one French, one Chinese and the obligatory British, there're also two local police inspectors, Stephan and Harry, a guy who constantly said "No", a reporter from the local press and the noisy wife of Hubert also appeared and all (or maybe not all... ;-) ) wanted to find out who the apparent victim in the car was and the story took its course.
 |
| Harry, Dr. No and Stephan |
The various scenes feature some classic James Bond songs, other well known songs which have largely something to do with crime/police or which just seemed suitable for the scene and there are constantly quotes, catch phrases, punchlines and jokes about James Bond and other crime shows which are so smartly incorporated. Well even the audience was incorporated but in a lovely way and not embarrasing as at e.g. the Schmidt Theater sometimes. There's a little twist and surprise at the end but it's a rather happy ending.
What the show especially lives from are the great slick performances and excellent directing from Craig Simmons who has directed a lot of the TfN musical company shows, most recently the brilliant "Side Show".
The various characters they play are very exaggerated fulfilling every cliché you can think of, as said already above, but that is done so elaborated, with so much detail and heart that it makes a lot of fun to watch.
 |
| Dr No, Jacques, Bennybjörn, Shan Zhai & Harry (at front) |
The show has a bit of a slow start when all the various agents are introduced (each takes place in the country they are from) but once they all are in Bad Gandersheim and the show picks up the pace and keeps it during the running time (show is just one act of ca. 110 minutes excluding the pre-show bit).
Even when there is a (fake) break in the show it does not take away the focus and the next moment the show is back on track. Maybe one or the other transition to start a musical number is a bit bumpy and forced (as for Falco's "Der Kommissar" (the superintendent) when the audience is involved) but forgotten once the numbers start and all are delightfully and charmingly choreographed (choreography by Kati Farkas) and performed excellently by the cast and the pleasant band, conducted well by Uli Schmid.
As said, the whole cast delivered great performances, each brought the character they played to life despite the cartoonish traits.
 |
| Hubert & Mimi |
My personal highlight was certainly seeing Navina Heyne (yeah, am biased :P) as Mimi (does she actually have the easiest or the most difficult job before the show in regards to make up? ;-) ). I knew she can be funny as in "The Full Monty" but in this show she can really show off her comic timing as the curious Mimi who wants to find out why all the agents are in the town and who drives her husband crazy - in various ways.
She could also shine vocally singing Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" in a rather parody style to her husband Hubert but still so stunningly that shivers were running down my spine. I had never been a fan of that song, too many high notes for my ears but Navina teased out the real beauty of it.
The other two ladies, Anaïs Lueken as Blondgirl, the British blond dumb wannabee agent dressed in a tight golden catsuit, and Alexandra Farkic as Olga from the Volga river, were also wonderful. Anaïs was just a blond as you'd expect it and Alexandra was such a tough Russian with an incredible accent throughout the whole show even when singing with such power and she moved and danced as straight out of a Russian army training camp.
Of the guys especially Dirk Weiler as Dr. No stood out for me totally nailing the character that I am looking forward to seeing him as Anatoly in Chess in a few days. I am sure that even Joseph Wiseman, THE Dr No from the first James Bond movie, would have been most impressed.
Mickey Petersson was hilarious as the Swedish agent Bennybjörn with accentuating all the Swedish stereotypes so well. Mario Gremlich as Vogler is such an entertaining slimy arrogant reporter running after pretty much every single pretty girl.
Both Sebastian Hammer and Karsten Kenzel were rather adorable agents, maybe a bit too sweet for the job they are doing but still creating a lot of laughs with their portrayals.
Hubert as the first aid was most probably the secret male star of the show. His part did not seem as important as the agents or the police officers at the beginning, but he had some of the funniest lines and moments in the show which he delivered so hilariously.
Thomas Christ and Robert Meyer were the local police inspectors. As the names imply they are based on the two protagonists from the German crime series Derrick. Well Stephan aka Thomas Christ definitely is as his Stephan has dermatochalasis and wears this nerdy glasses similar, though not exactly, to the ones the orginal Derrick wore. I was not too keen on his performance of "Der Kommissar", I do love his voice, I just would want this song sung by someone with more roughness and edge just as Falco, but the rest was done well and convincingly.
Robert Meyer just has more or less the name in common with the original Harry, he is handsome and young and Harry from the TV series was neither handsome nor young, but there's actually more to his part learnt throughout the show. Having seen him in other shows before as in the TfN's production of "The Man Of La Mancha" I never noticed him too much but he gave a fab performance and the role of a ladies' man definitely suits him.
Overall a most enjoyable and even dry afternoon and I look forward to seeing the show once more in August.
Of the guys especially Dirk Weiler as Dr. No stood out for me totally nailing the character that I am looking forward to seeing him as Anatoly in Chess in a few days. I am sure that even Joseph Wiseman, THE Dr No from the first James Bond movie, would have been most impressed.
Mickey Petersson was hilarious as the Swedish agent Bennybjörn with accentuating all the Swedish stereotypes so well. Mario Gremlich as Vogler is such an entertaining slimy arrogant reporter running after pretty much every single pretty girl.
Both Sebastian Hammer and Karsten Kenzel were rather adorable agents, maybe a bit too sweet for the job they are doing but still creating a lot of laughs with their portrayals.
Hubert as the first aid was most probably the secret male star of the show. His part did not seem as important as the agents or the police officers at the beginning, but he had some of the funniest lines and moments in the show which he delivered so hilariously.
Thomas Christ and Robert Meyer were the local police inspectors. As the names imply they are based on the two protagonists from the German crime series Derrick. Well Stephan aka Thomas Christ definitely is as his Stephan has dermatochalasis and wears this nerdy glasses similar, though not exactly, to the ones the orginal Derrick wore. I was not too keen on his performance of "Der Kommissar", I do love his voice, I just would want this song sung by someone with more roughness and edge just as Falco, but the rest was done well and convincingly.
Robert Meyer just has more or less the name in common with the original Harry, he is handsome and young and Harry from the TV series was neither handsome nor young, but there's actually more to his part learnt throughout the show. Having seen him in other shows before as in the TfN's production of "The Man Of La Mancha" I never noticed him too much but he gave a fab performance and the role of a ladies' man definitely suits him.
Overall a most enjoyable and even dry afternoon and I look forward to seeing the show once more in August.
Pictures above taken from the official website
Read other posts from the Domfestspiele here for Chess and here for Domspitzen
Some pictures from the little "pre-show" event outside the stage area
 |
| THE car |
 |
| THE firefighters |
 |
| the inspectors Stephan & Harry appear |
 |
| inspector Stephan |
