He is the best physician who is the most ingenious inspirer of hope.
Der Medicus (The Physician) - Schlosstheater, Fulda, June 2016
Being able to see a doctor when sick is for a lot of us something rather normal these days.
It certainly is in my home country and being someone myself who has been suffering from a lung disease for a while now I saw too many in last months.
But back many centuries with religion playing a (far too) important role it was not that simple. And this is the time where writer Noah Gordon set the story of his novel he wrote in 1986.
Failing to find an audience in the US, it was a success over here in Europe despite rather negative professional reviews.
It tells of the Christian English Rob Cole in the 11th century we meet as a boy for the first time who when grown up travels across Europe and Middle East in order to study medicine among the Persians in the city of Isfahan.
He has the extraordinary gift of sensing whether someone will soon die by just touching their hands which is discovered when facing his parents' deaths.
Story as in the musical (some changes to novel - includes spoilers! as rest of post):
On his mother's death the orphan is torn away from his sisters and joins a travelling barber surgeon who teaches him everything he knows. But Rob eventually has to recognise the limitations of these simple practices. When he learns of the famous doctor Ibn Sina who teaches in Isfahan he decides to travel there.
Taking him two years he meets among others the young Scottish Mary Cullen whom he falls in love with but still leaves her and her father behind to continue his journey.
Learning that no Christians are allowed entry to the college he even covers as a Jew who are tolerated and is, when arriving in Isfahan, eventually after some trouble accepted at the Madrasa college becoming friends with the Jew Mirdin and the Persian Karim and taught by Ibn Sina.
When the plague breaks out in the city and thousands die, the doctors remain at the patients' side. And with the help of some rats and Rob's curiosity as doing an autopsy on a rat plus the discovery of basic hygienic principles, the plague is overcome with the shah of Persia and his sons becoming the last death victims making Karim the new Shah.
On the day Karim is crowned a slave trader arrives in Isfahan and one of the slaves is Mary who is given as a gift to Rob and eventually they marry.
This whole plague issue plus people continuing to start of the side sickness his mother died of (it is implied that it is a simple appendicitis) get Rob to secretly perform autopsies on dead bodies to deepen his knowledge of anatomy he can hide for a while. In the meantime Karim goes to war with Mirdin as his personal physician who does not survive the war.
This causes a break in Rob's and Karim's friendship, but not only that soon the autopsies are discovered by the mullahs. Ibn Sina takes the blame and sentenced to death but does not die without Rob visiting him one last time in his prison cell and Rob sharing his knowledge of the human body.
Despite the torn relationship Karim helps Rob and Mary to escape Isfahan which is soon after conquered and Karim killed. Rob and Mary return to Scotland and start their life there.
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I personally was not to see this production. The past Spotlight Musical shows I saw were let downs but when both Thomas Christ (as on stage swing) and Janko Danailow (ensemble and Rob Cole alternate) announced they'd join the cast things changed.
Tickets were already tight though I was lucky, once Janko had posted his Rob Cole dates, to get tickets for a few of his Rob Cole shows (and hopefully these won't change as there were already changes to schedule).
Overall the production is decent IMHO. Reviews were largely most positive but I have my issues with Spotlight Musical shows as already mentioned.
All are similarly structured and obviously meet mass' taste, but for me there is always something missing - there is often none to a little arc of suspense and they drag and in this production, even with someone as experienced as Holger Hauer it does not change much.
When I saw the show for the first time on the 19th June (two days after opening night) at last minute (as I had wanted to see the show once without Janko being on as Rob) to see the whole show especially the first act dragged feeling like a sequence of scenes and when Holger Hauer ran out of directing ideas a big ensemble dance number would be thrown into the show.
The choreography by Kim Duddy is certainly great to watch most of the time, even if the stage sometimes feels rather overcrowded, but the pseudo Irish dance bit performed excellently by the cast and I do not mind such numbers but there are just so many to take in and when you hear and watch of a certain number the 100th reprise (okay that is a bit exaggerated) that is just too much for me.
Plus when in Isfahan I wished the belly dancing bits were less technical with belly dancing being a LOT about femininity, about the feelings and the strength of women which was very little to see.
What really annoyed me was the build up to the interval. A lot of shows have one, if not the climax about to happen when the interval cuts in. Here, while certainly a peak with the plague break out there is not much after in act 2 with fighting it.
The second act is certainly nevertheless better and slightly makes up for act 1 as the focus shifts to substance and profoundness with the issues and controversies Rob Cole faces in Isfahan.Yes, there are still numbers I wished they'd cut as the whole show needs some serious trimming with it being including interval and curtain call over three hours long but there is some real exploration in the story without overloading it too much with fillers.
The music is full of cheesy, even if catchy, solid pop melodies, with contemporary elements and cultural music styles added. My problem though with the music is having seen other Spotlight shows before they all show the typical style of Dennis Martin (even with additional music by Marian Lux) and there is just so much of that cheese I can bear. What makes it even worse are the ongoing reprises.
At least the musical is well arranged by Michael Reed with the music, also typical for Spotlight musicals, been pre-recorded by an orchestra.
The lyrics and the book, also by Dennis Martin with additional by Christoph Jilo and Wolfgang Adenberg, are sometimes craftily constructed being of ingenious and witty jibes and sparkle while others come across so clumsy and constrained that they make me cringe.
The stage is well used, stage set uses a good amount of scenery flats with some looking a bit too much like comic drawings though with a lot of video projections at the back creating some great pictures and realistic depth. Supporting the set is an excellent light design that reaches its climax during a chess game near the end.
The costumes are very well made, especially the ones when in Isfahan are bright and colourful, and catch the typical fashions in the different countries even if am sure that certain kind of boots were certainly not around in the 11th century.
---------
All are similarly structured and obviously meet mass' taste, but for me there is always something missing - there is often none to a little arc of suspense and they drag and in this production, even with someone as experienced as Holger Hauer it does not change much.
When I saw the show for the first time on the 19th June (two days after opening night) at last minute (as I had wanted to see the show once without Janko being on as Rob) to see the whole show especially the first act dragged feeling like a sequence of scenes and when Holger Hauer ran out of directing ideas a big ensemble dance number would be thrown into the show.
Plus when in Isfahan I wished the belly dancing bits were less technical with belly dancing being a LOT about femininity, about the feelings and the strength of women which was very little to see.
What really annoyed me was the build up to the interval. A lot of shows have one, if not the climax about to happen when the interval cuts in. Here, while certainly a peak with the plague break out there is not much after in act 2 with fighting it.
The second act is certainly nevertheless better and slightly makes up for act 1 as the focus shifts to substance and profoundness with the issues and controversies Rob Cole faces in Isfahan.Yes, there are still numbers I wished they'd cut as the whole show needs some serious trimming with it being including interval and curtain call over three hours long but there is some real exploration in the story without overloading it too much with fillers.
The music is full of cheesy, even if catchy, solid pop melodies, with contemporary elements and cultural music styles added. My problem though with the music is having seen other Spotlight shows before they all show the typical style of Dennis Martin (even with additional music by Marian Lux) and there is just so much of that cheese I can bear. What makes it even worse are the ongoing reprises.
At least the musical is well arranged by Michael Reed with the music, also typical for Spotlight musicals, been pre-recorded by an orchestra.
The lyrics and the book, also by Dennis Martin with additional by Christoph Jilo and Wolfgang Adenberg, are sometimes craftily constructed being of ingenious and witty jibes and sparkle while others come across so clumsy and constrained that they make me cringe.
The stage is well used, stage set uses a good amount of scenery flats with some looking a bit too much like comic drawings though with a lot of video projections at the back creating some great pictures and realistic depth. Supporting the set is an excellent light design that reaches its climax during a chess game near the end.
The costumes are very well made, especially the ones when in Isfahan are bright and colourful, and catch the typical fashions in the different countries even if am sure that certain kind of boots were certainly not around in the 11th century.
Friedrich Rau can surely sing beautifully, unfortunately his singing interpretation and especially his acting does not do anything for me. Some reviewers saw the emotional turmoil his Rob Cole goes through I just didn’t.
His expression, especially when going through strong emotions as facing the death of his mother, the wish to travel to Isfahan, was so flat and that where Rob Cole is called a hotspur throughout the show.
His alternate Janko Danailow on the other hand is a different story.I was just to see Janko as Rob for the first time in July but when being told to take time in lieu with too much overtime (life of someone working in finance), me learning him (as Rob) and Thomas Christ (as Karim) would be on stage together and suddenly a couple of front row tickets appearing on Eventim two days prior to the show I already returned to Fulda on the 24th June.
Yes, I may be biased adoring Janko anyway but the emotions I went through watching him were most overwhelming (and with the character being on stage a lot there were many).
I rarely get overwhelmed by musical performances these days, even if I loved someone's, the last I got totally caught by was in 2012 watching Thomas Christ and Oliver Nöldner in Comedian Harmonists.
From the first moment him on stage I was immersed into his energetic, focused and in depth performance with him making the character so credible, feeling authentic putting such profound expressions in his body language, his movements were vivid and his voice, whether singing or speaking, so powerful and expressive, me being so amazed hearing how much his singing voice has gained in richness and resonance, making me care for the character.
He also portrayed Rob's growth from a young rather naive boy into a self confident man who stands by his beliefs, thoughts and ideas, even when facing opposition, so strongly that I couldn't help but wanting him to succeed.
From the first moment him on stage I was immersed into his energetic, focused and in depth performance with him making the character so credible, feeling authentic putting such profound expressions in his body language, his movements were vivid and his voice, whether singing or speaking, so powerful and expressive, me being so amazed hearing how much his singing voice has gained in richness and resonance, making me care for the character.
He also portrayed Rob's growth from a young rather naive boy into a self confident man who stands by his beliefs, thoughts and ideas, even when facing opposition, so strongly that I couldn't help but wanting him to succeed.
Even now a couple of days later my memory of that performance makes me emotional. I can still recall some of the scenes so detailed, how he said or sang a certain line, how he acted a certain scene, giving me goosebumps.
I cannot really mention all highlights but one absolute was certainly him singing "Ich Muss Es Tun", a song in which Rob sings, after learning he can only study in Isfahan if a Jew, to pass himself off as one, and continues his journey to Isfahan. "Ich Muss Es Tun" means "l must do it" and with every syllable I felt how serious it was meant.
I cannot really mention all highlights but one absolute was certainly him singing "Ich Muss Es Tun", a song in which Rob sings, after learning he can only study in Isfahan if a Jew, to pass himself off as one, and continues his journey to Isfahan. "Ich Muss Es Tun" means "l must do it" and with every syllable I felt how serious it was meant.
Other scenes to mention are the ones with the grand sonorous Reinhard Brussmann as Ibn Sina as the ones once fought the plaque with Ibn Sina being so comforting to Rob helping him to gain confidence and trust in himself and his talent and at end when they meet one last time Ibn Sina close to death held in a prison cell and Rob visiting him with the drawing of the inner human body Rob calls him a father and Ibn Sina, so full of fatherly warmth and pride, Rob a son it totally breaks me down within a few seconds crying my eyes out.
It is my absolute favourite moment of the show when two incredible performers showing how true love and friendship beyond the social, cultural and religious rules can be. With the current circumstances in the world with people just because of different religion, different beliefs etc are murdered etc. it is even more moving.
It is my absolute favourite moment of the show when two incredible performers showing how true love and friendship beyond the social, cultural and religious rules can be. With the current circumstances in the world with people just because of different religion, different beliefs etc are murdered etc. it is even more moving.
Sabrina Weckerlin as Mary Cullen is dull for me. Partly owed to the character who is so plain I just do not get her anyway; yes she can sing but whatever role I see her in I see no difference in how how she sings something. What really drives me insane is this breathy voice a lot of female singers use when singing something emotional is to sound emotional and soft - for me it just sounds, well, airy. Her numbers also do not add anything to the story anyway especially her solo number "Kilmarnock" besides it being boring. With the show being too long anyway it seriously should be cut. Same goes for her duet with the character Fara, Mirdin's wife. While entertaining, it just stops the flow of the 2nd act massively. And do not get me started on her floppy body posture...
I so want to see her understudy Dorothea Maria Müller just once. She plays in her normal ensemble track Rob's mother close to dying and sings most beautifully a lullaby to her children full of sentiment that I can just picture her perfectly as Mary picturing her as a fiery young lady matching her hair colour (redhead - who rules being one myself).
Andreas Wolfram as Karim can delight as the younger version while at college being bold, impudent and with arrogant extravagant comic flair though when later as the Shah I wished he was less a simple a***hole and show off the inner torn that clearly breaks through at the end when there is a last match of chess between him and Rob.
Thomas Christ showed that off wonderfully with a commensurate gain in menace after being kinda forced becoming the new Shah whether he wanted to or not joining the game.
As the student his Karim reminds me a lot of Genie of Aladdin not only because of similar looks but also being a rather happy go lucky character without too much arrogance, so rather different from Andreas' Karim.
My personal highlight of him is the number "Alles Nur Ein Spiel" (all is just a game) when Rob and Karim play that last game of chess (a number also greatly choreographed with a dozen dancers being chess figures) and him and Janko working so well together that is an absolute TREAT.
Sebastian Lohse can entertain as the barber surgeon and terrify as Quandrasseh. Lutz Standop as Mirdin is rather underutilised but then a lot of people in the ensemble are so wasted as the talented Lucia Isabel Haas Munoz whom I adored as Anita/Consuela in Oper Halle's beautiful production of West Side Story.
The show is certainly worth a visit though if it wasn't for certain cast members not a must see for me. I personally do not want to see it again with Friedrich Rau in it but Janko Danailow and maybe once Sascha Kurth, just to see all Rob Cole alternates.
People who like cheese, liked the novel and the movie, care about big voices without much depth will, so am sure, enjoy the show nevertheless the weaknesses.
6/10 (19th June) 8/10 (24th June with the two extra points due to cast)
Read more about further visits >>HERE!
Curtain call pictures with Janko Danailow as Rob Cole:
I so want to see her understudy Dorothea Maria Müller just once. She plays in her normal ensemble track Rob's mother close to dying and sings most beautifully a lullaby to her children full of sentiment that I can just picture her perfectly as Mary picturing her as a fiery young lady matching her hair colour (redhead - who rules being one myself).
Andreas Wolfram as Karim can delight as the younger version while at college being bold, impudent and with arrogant extravagant comic flair though when later as the Shah I wished he was less a simple a***hole and show off the inner torn that clearly breaks through at the end when there is a last match of chess between him and Rob.
Thomas Christ showed that off wonderfully with a commensurate gain in menace after being kinda forced becoming the new Shah whether he wanted to or not joining the game.
As the student his Karim reminds me a lot of Genie of Aladdin not only because of similar looks but also being a rather happy go lucky character without too much arrogance, so rather different from Andreas' Karim.
My personal highlight of him is the number "Alles Nur Ein Spiel" (all is just a game) when Rob and Karim play that last game of chess (a number also greatly choreographed with a dozen dancers being chess figures) and him and Janko working so well together that is an absolute TREAT.
Sebastian Lohse can entertain as the barber surgeon and terrify as Quandrasseh. Lutz Standop as Mirdin is rather underutilised but then a lot of people in the ensemble are so wasted as the talented Lucia Isabel Haas Munoz whom I adored as Anita/Consuela in Oper Halle's beautiful production of West Side Story.
The show is certainly worth a visit though if it wasn't for certain cast members not a must see for me. I personally do not want to see it again with Friedrich Rau in it but Janko Danailow and maybe once Sascha Kurth, just to see all Rob Cole alternates.
People who like cheese, liked the novel and the movie, care about big voices without much depth will, so am sure, enjoy the show nevertheless the weaknesses.
6/10 (19th June) 8/10 (24th June with the two extra points due to cast)
Read more about further visits >>HERE!
Curtain call pictures with Janko Danailow as Rob Cole:
