One day in the country Is worth a month in town.

 Landeier - Packhaustheater Bremen January 2016

There are certain shows that I see the first and only time, there are shows I see once in a while and then there are these shows I see as much adoring them being close to my heart. 

One of these shows is Landeier - Bauern Suchen Frauen (read about prior visits >>here). Since seeing it the first time in Worpswede in May 2014 I have seen it about a dozen times. 

I went to Worpswede not expecting much but finally seeing Manuel Ettelt onstage again but at the end of the evening I left the theatre in awe of what I had just watched. 

For me the show delivers everything what I expect from a comedy - especially with the cast usually being as brilliant as possible.  

It was August last year when I learnt that there'd be a sequel premiering in Bremen in 2016.

While it still will be on in other theatres across the country, for the Knut Schakinnis' theatre group the shows in Bremen in January during a 3 weeks run just before the Landeier 2 opening would be (for the time being) the last ones so the moment I also learnt of the cast I knew I had to go not just once but twice  - and when the opening of Landeier 2 was postponed by a week and Landeier extended there were three shows to see and I would not have wanted to miss one of these having so much admiration for the cast.

Cast:

Michael Bernhard - Richard
Manuel Ettelt - Jan
Andreas Euler/Florian Wilke - Jens
Jörg Schlichtkrull - Hein
Isabell Christin Behrendt - Lavinia
Ingrid Waldau - Gertrud

At the first two shows I got to see Andreas Euler as Jens and while I had seen all in other productions before I had never had the pleasure of seeing him with Manuel as Jan and Michael as Richard in Landeier before and the dynamism was just so special (got to see the three together in >>Machos Auf Eis and that was so much FUN).

It is incredible to see how certain performers harmonise so well feeding each other lines and even if you have seen the show before it still feels like you've not seen it all before discovering new bits, rediscovering old bits you hadn't paid attention to at the last shows, appreciating known bits even more.
Even with someone upset after one of the shows it was still exciting as audience to see how much the show, especially when things sometimes do not go according to plan, whether improvised or not, still can crack me up.

The lines heard now so often, lines you even include in your day to day routines (the impact that show has on me... oh boy - and that does not stop at now being "attracted" by sheep stuff as this particular painting of sheep I bought ;-) ) still make me laugh as this particular cast managed to keep and deliver them so freshly not sounding bored or so what sometimes happened when played the part too often.

Okay, it does not help when you sit too close and people know you but even slightly embarrassing moments can become fun that you cannot stop laughing and grinning that your colleagues tell you that whatever drug you took over the weekend you should continue to take.

As much as I look forward to seeing Landeier 2 as "my" beloved Manuel Ettelt will be in it, I just cannot imagine to be as much fun as this. I so will miss this combo.

There is just one sharp-tongued Gertrud for me with Ingrid Waldau having such a stage presence and attitude that is rare.

I was so happy when learning that I would be at her very last show as the closing night was also her stage farewell  being close to 80 - a wonderful actress, a lovely lady, highly respected and adored by people around her who sweetened her goodbye so superbly (and even I had the pleasure of doing my bit being the baking fairy - well hopefully they liked not only the look of it...).

Jörg Schlichtkrull at her side as Hein also never fails to impress. Especially at the closing night he still managed to surprise me with some witty ad libbing and deadpan humour.

I adore Isabell Christin Behrendt as Lavinia. Besides being totally endearing and still so natural and sweet the faces she pulls and her countenance make me giggle all the time being so expressive and  and her character falling for Richard is believably played - something I did not see in the other ladies.

Talking about Richard... I did like Michael Bernhard in Worpswede in 2014 but just last year when the show returned to that village I became a convert of his Richard and after these three shows I may be smitten with him , a bit..., erm quite..., okay, a lot - in capital letters.

Michael's Richard has just the right balance of sensitivity, suavity, insecurity and pride, is very nice to look at being fit but not too perfect and knows how to leave an impression - even if you, well me, wish the ground would swallow you up once in a while when shirts are thrown at you or you are to take off shoes in front of the rest of the audience and the rest of the cast....

Andreas Euler is the ultimate Jens these days for me being such a  whirlwind that I was slightly disappointed that he was off sick at the final show and Florian Wilke was on. Do not get me wrong, I do like Florian, the atmosphere and drive between the three guys is just different. Yes, there are little moments and scenes in which I prefer and/or like Florian, just because it was the ultimate Landeier show it would have been nice to see Andreas.

And then there is Manuel Ettelt as Jan. I adored him before, I adore him even more now.
His Jan just feels so real. While certainly being a spot on persiflage his Jan is also very human, just as you and me with feelings, emotions and desire that you cannot help but to cherish him.
There is always something in his performance that fills me with delight. I treasure him for how much he usually is taken over by the roles he plays.

Even when seeing him in the two Loriot productions in Bielefeld last year and him being in a scene for very small part he would leave his mark taking it seriously being a real star.
And in this part as Jan, the one I like him in most, he just seems to give it all trying to making it work - and succeeding.
I certainly will miss this little show but I am also curious to see how the story with him develops, how the character grows.

So it is time to say goodbye Landeier and say hello to Landeier 2. See you at the >>barn festival!