Musical by the German singer Herbert Grönemeyer at Theater Basel
Published: Sunday, Nov 5th 2023, 06:50
Updated At: Monday, Nov 6th 2023, 00:53
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The idealized French provincial world is hurtling towards a brilliant catastrophe. German singer Herbert Grönemeyer, who has composed a musical version of Eugène Labiche's farce "The Florentine Hat" for Theater Basel, is one of the culprits.
"Pferd frisst Hut" is the title of the production by composer Herbert Grönemeyer and director Herbert Fritsch, which premiered at Theater Basel on Saturday. The title actually says almost everything about the content of the raucous boulevard comedy written by Eugène Labiche in the 19th century: a horse eats a hat and a wedding party gets into a real mess as a result.
The stage design, for which director Fritsch was responsible, vividly presents this imbalance. We see a space that is out of kilter in terms of perspective, but which, with ten doors and a central revolving door, has everything ready for the abstruse and comical entrances and exits with encounters that should not and cannot actually exist, but which make up the pulse of the farce.
Slapstick-like situation comedy
The evening - which the theater advertises as an opera - thrives on slapstick-like situation comedy. This is the core competence of director Herbert Fritsch, who can rely on a splendid and acrobatic ensemble - above all with a magnificent Christopher Nell as the main character Fadinard, with movement artist Florian Anderer as the amorous policeman and the abysmally lascivious milliner Clara (Sarah Bauerett).
Grönemeyer has composed a melodic potpourri for them and the other protagonists, including the brilliantly performing theater choir, which meanders between Disney kitsch, Grönemeyer pop and opera buffa and is carried with great drive by the Basel Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Thomas Wise.
Jazzy rhythms and Disney kitsch
This has its funny highlights when the protagonists imitate and parody the composer Grönemeyer's singing style in a witty way. At times, one is reminded of the jazzy rhythms of George and Ira Gershwin. In other places, however, it also comes close to the melodious kitsch of Disney soundtracks.
The premiere audience in Basel had the special pleasure of experiencing Grönemeyer himself singing along during the frenetic final applause in the encore. But even without the master's participation, the performance is well worth a visit and is a lot of fun despite its somewhat exhausting length of more than three hours.
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