Bits And Pieces From Your Star Rain Upon Me As They Fall...
Die Schmidtparade - Schmidt Theater, Hamburg, 10th July, 2013
It was nearly 25 years ago, on 08/08/1988 when the Schmidt Theater opened. To celebrate that anniversary the theatre shows a show called "Die Schmidtparade".
It must have been 1991 or 1992, when I went to the Schmidt Theater the first time for the then weekly highlight - the famous "Mitternachtsshow", the midnight show, yes, on around midnight, very much like a cheaper variete show, but still usually so much fun (it still exists but the last time I was there a few years ago it was so flat so never returned since).
Over the years till leaving Germany in last 1990s I spent more time at the other theatre of the Schmidt theatre company, the Schmidt's Tivoli, but still would return once in a while, being usually a lot of fun.
Saying that in the last years since moving back from London I actually spent more time at the Schmidt Theater with either the long run "Heiße Ecke" or some comedians being on in other one, and me not a fan of the show nor usually the comedians especially when "Villa Sonnenschein" is on in winter or the kids' shows.
Since last year though I have reduced the amount of visits to the theatre massively as I am neither interested in most shows on there, there is just so much cheap slapstick I can take, especially when there are often the same jokes, punchlines etc in all the shows, nor I am longer willed to finance and support certain (theatre) politics after having to listen to some conversations especially in winter in which I also learnt a certain truth what some people representing the theatre really think of the ordinary theatre visitor. Enough rambling.
So when this show was announced I honestly hadn't really intended to see it as I was not a fan of shows like "Karamba", a revue style show with music from the 1970s, having the same concept but when they performed at a charity concert in Hamburg a couple of weeks ago, it looked like it could be decent fun and with two people in it I like a lot, I thought I give it a shot.
Cast:
Tamara Bauer, Yvonne Disqué, Norbert Kohler, Corny Littmann, Manuel Lopez, Mario Saccoccio, Leila Vallio
The show with a running time of over three hours and three acts, each about 50 minutes long and two breaks, features (mainly) music from one decade - act 1 1960s, act 2 1970s and act 3 1980s. Saying that the focus is though on "Schlager" songs, a genre of music with songs Wikipedia describes as "typical schlager tracks are either sweet, highly sentimental ballads with a simple, catchy melody or light pop tunes. Lyrics typically centre on love, relationships and feelings." Think of Engelbert, think of Cliff Richard, songs so cheesy with often most ridiculous lyrics, and imagine them to sound even worse. Ouch.
I suppose if you like this kind of music, if you grew up with a lot of them, you might not even have liked it back then, but when it reminds you of the period you were a child/teenager etc, you can actually have a lot of fun listening to these.
The show just largely features songs being performed, sometimes turned into a parody, suddenly Winnetou and Old Shatterhand are not just blood brothers but brothers leaning the other way, and several other sexual innuendos you kinda expect from this theatre, interrupted by some theatre anecdotes told by Corny Littmann how it all started, special shows, other special things happening and some slapstick scenes usually caricaturing an ad (anyone remember the stupid Palmolive or Dutch cheese ads??? Yep, these kind of) or a TV show well known from each decade.
I though being an 80s girl, I discovered music in the 80s when still being ickle, and while performances certainly were great, I just could not do much with act 1 and 2. I also do not see much point in such shows, that is not what I want to see in a theatre but then this is a reason, as mentioned above, why the Schmidt Theater is not my cup of tea any more really. I am interested in plays and musicals but this theatre just provides that less and less - and if one musical is on, or what they call musical it is usually not convincing as I expect more and/or something else from that genre.
At least act 3, as also eventually accepted the show for what it is - a best of collection of bad music, bad ads and bad jokes, was more my "thing".
Still featuring bad music, it was at least music I knew and remembered too well from watching the then most popular "Hitparade", a weekly highlight on Saturday when I was allowed to stay up till 8.30pm (as the show was on from 7.30pm till 8.15pm) instead of 7pm (yes that early, I was just little then), could somehow reminisce about and occasionally sing along even if I was just five when some of the songs as the ones in the "NDW" (Neue Deutsche Welle) section (Wikipedia: "a genre of German music originally derived from punk rock and New Wave music") originally came out and actually cannot stand most of them especially the Nena songs which wrapped up the official show part before the (planned) encores.
The show could have been so unenjoyable but what totally made up for the concept are the performers and their performances - well not all though.
Over the years till leaving Germany in last 1990s I spent more time at the other theatre of the Schmidt theatre company, the Schmidt's Tivoli, but still would return once in a while, being usually a lot of fun.
Saying that in the last years since moving back from London I actually spent more time at the Schmidt Theater with either the long run "Heiße Ecke" or some comedians being on in other one, and me not a fan of the show nor usually the comedians especially when "Villa Sonnenschein" is on in winter or the kids' shows.Since last year though I have reduced the amount of visits to the theatre massively as I am neither interested in most shows on there, there is just so much cheap slapstick I can take, especially when there are often the same jokes, punchlines etc in all the shows, nor I am longer willed to finance and support certain (theatre) politics after having to listen to some conversations especially in winter in which I also learnt a certain truth what some people representing the theatre really think of the ordinary theatre visitor. Enough rambling.
So when this show was announced I honestly hadn't really intended to see it as I was not a fan of shows like "Karamba", a revue style show with music from the 1970s, having the same concept but when they performed at a charity concert in Hamburg a couple of weeks ago, it looked like it could be decent fun and with two people in it I like a lot, I thought I give it a shot.
Cast: Tamara Bauer, Yvonne Disqué, Norbert Kohler, Corny Littmann, Manuel Lopez, Mario Saccoccio, Leila Vallio
The show with a running time of over three hours and three acts, each about 50 minutes long and two breaks, features (mainly) music from one decade - act 1 1960s, act 2 1970s and act 3 1980s. Saying that the focus is though on "Schlager" songs, a genre of music with songs Wikipedia describes as "typical schlager tracks are either sweet, highly sentimental ballads with a simple, catchy melody or light pop tunes. Lyrics typically centre on love, relationships and feelings." Think of Engelbert, think of Cliff Richard, songs so cheesy with often most ridiculous lyrics, and imagine them to sound even worse. Ouch.
I suppose if you like this kind of music, if you grew up with a lot of them, you might not even have liked it back then, but when it reminds you of the period you were a child/teenager etc, you can actually have a lot of fun listening to these.
The show just largely features songs being performed, sometimes turned into a parody, suddenly Winnetou and Old Shatterhand are not just blood brothers but brothers leaning the other way, and several other sexual innuendos you kinda expect from this theatre, interrupted by some theatre anecdotes told by Corny Littmann how it all started, special shows, other special things happening and some slapstick scenes usually caricaturing an ad (anyone remember the stupid Palmolive or Dutch cheese ads??? Yep, these kind of) or a TV show well known from each decade.I though being an 80s girl, I discovered music in the 80s when still being ickle, and while performances certainly were great, I just could not do much with act 1 and 2. I also do not see much point in such shows, that is not what I want to see in a theatre but then this is a reason, as mentioned above, why the Schmidt Theater is not my cup of tea any more really. I am interested in plays and musicals but this theatre just provides that less and less - and if one musical is on, or what they call musical it is usually not convincing as I expect more and/or something else from that genre.
At least act 3, as also eventually accepted the show for what it is - a best of collection of bad music, bad ads and bad jokes, was more my "thing".
Still featuring bad music, it was at least music I knew and remembered too well from watching the then most popular "Hitparade", a weekly highlight on Saturday when I was allowed to stay up till 8.30pm (as the show was on from 7.30pm till 8.15pm) instead of 7pm (yes that early, I was just little then), could somehow reminisce about and occasionally sing along even if I was just five when some of the songs as the ones in the "NDW" (Neue Deutsche Welle) section (Wikipedia: "a genre of German music originally derived from punk rock and New Wave music") originally came out and actually cannot stand most of them especially the Nena songs which wrapped up the official show part before the (planned) encores.The show could have been so unenjoyable but what totally made up for the concept are the performers and their performances - well not all though.
The weak link for me in this show is Yvonne Disqué. I do not get her, never have, in any show I have seen her in.Yes, she certainly can sing, she can decently dance, even if looking rather stiff compared to the other five around her but there is so little spark in her performance, her smile seeming so fake (You know the difference between a natural and a fake smile?) and just does not have the drive for me so needed for this quickly moving show.
The other two ladies and the three guys (I won't comment on (the boss) Corny Littmann, Corny is Corny, you get what you get, he cannot sing, he cannot dance, he cannot act, but most people simply do not care) are simply terrific.
I was especially pleased to see Tamara Bauer at last again whom I adored in past kids's musical productions at this theatre. Tamara is tiny, about 5'1 but she has a voice compensating for that- so big, so powerful, so flexible and it does not stop there as she also has the talent putting just the right amount of empathy in it to be believable. She e.g. sings that one song originally from Andrea Jürgens who in 1978 (she was about 11 then) released a song in which a child, facing the divorce of her parents, sings about what she feels. I hadn't known the song, before my time, and actually I hadn't missed much as it is dull watching the odd video on youtube, but Tamara , it so sweetly with the right amount of sentiment to not get too cheesy.
But she also has a storming comic talent being so eye-catchingly killingly funny and is a true bubbly whirlwind of bravura and fresh spontaneity.
Nearly as uproariously funny is Mario Saccoccio.
Especially his interpretation of Peter Maffay's "Und Es War Sommer" (And It Was Summer) was among my my personal highlights performance wise and he could really show off that he stands out from all these generic show voices having a unique individual voice colour that is also full and bold being so striking.
He also often owns the comedy scenes and moments in the show with his quirky zany talent and his Italian temperament and the faces he pulls had me in stitches. I actually think I may have fallen even a bit more for him. ;-)
I had never really been a fan of Norbert Kohler before, the last show I saw him in was "Marie Antoinette" in Bremen in 2009 and I preferred his understudy of the small part he played by miles. But here he does a very good job as the geeky but still charismatic one in the ensemble even looking rather good (except maybe for the hairy legs I had directly in front of me ;-) ) when onstage as a women's libber in the 70s part of the show and his Old Shatterhand was humourous.
What an incredible voice Manuel Lopez has! And how much charm and handsomeness and especially stage presence! I had never seen him onstage before, he just graduated last year, I just had known the few demos on his website (which I liked though they do not do him justice as he sounds live a lot more impressive), so he was the big unknown one in this show for me but the first moment he got onstage he managed to convey the emotional depth, as little as there might be in some of the songs featured in the show, when singing a song so effortlessly being affecting but also entertaining and enthralling.
Complementing the team is the wonderful Leila Vallio whom I hadn't seen since "Hairspray" in Cologne a few years ago. She can especially shine in the 80s act for me having the right edge and roughness in her voice so suitable for the NDW songs.
Supported is the cast most well by a spritely five piece band at the back of the stage - wow, live music at the Schmidt Theater - normally you get pre-recorded music.
The choreography by Stefanie Schwendy can also please being, while certainly not innovative inspired by the decades, vigorous and lively - can she choreograph the kids' shows at this theatre too in future?
Set is limited but costumes are well made with some looking as if actually recycled and not just recently made. Well who knows, still plenty of second hand shops around selling clothes from these periods.
Well overall, a fun night watching an ensemble that makes F.U.N. .- just wished I was watching them in another show! Anyone who likes such concepts I am sure will fully enjoy it. I though cannot wait till I see another musical.
All pictures by Oliver Fantisch.
http://www.tivoli.de/programm-tickets/die-schmidtparade.html
Supported is the cast most well by a spritely five piece band at the back of the stage - wow, live music at the Schmidt Theater - normally you get pre-recorded music. The choreography by Stefanie Schwendy can also please being, while certainly not innovative inspired by the decades, vigorous and lively - can she choreograph the kids' shows at this theatre too in future?
Set is limited but costumes are well made with some looking as if actually recycled and not just recently made. Well who knows, still plenty of second hand shops around selling clothes from these periods.
Well overall, a fun night watching an ensemble that makes F.U.N. .- just wished I was watching them in another show! Anyone who likes such concepts I am sure will fully enjoy it. I though cannot wait till I see another musical.
All pictures by Oliver Fantisch.
http://www.tivoli.de/programm-tickets/die-schmidtparade.html
