Memmingen - With the theater festival last weekend, the team from the Landestheater Schwaben (LTS) wanted to get the audience in the mood for the new season. The ensemble delighted the audience with a potpourri of scenes from many pieces and associated songs from the new season. Despite free admission, the demand from visitors was not as high as expected, so that only one instead of the two originally planned performances was shown.
Nevertheless, it was a special evening for the ensemble: It was the first time in over a year that all artists were allowed to be on stage together again.
Even if some of the scenes shown were not exactly easy fare, you could tell the ensemble enjoyed the game.
Heavy fare was not offered, however, it was rather a clearly politically influenced cross-section of the program for the new season.
And some of the topical issues that were offered, like in the piece “Lampedusa”, are irritating.
The thought, taken up in one of the songs, “Only when you have money is everything good!” Is not always true.
At least for people to whom values such as humanity and solidarity mean something.
view in the future
Other scenes and songs also pick up on current social developments.
In “Lemons, Lemons, Lemons” there is a gloomy look into the future in which people's freedom of speech is severely restricted.
In Bodo Wartke's song “The country in which I want to live”, the current political conditions in our society are clearly shown the “red card” and a more humane coexistence is set.
Strengthen tolerance
When the program was presented at the end of August, Artistic Director Dr.
Kathrin Mädler pointed out the “putty” potential of the program.
The program can help to prevent social division and to strengthen tolerance towards different attitudes.
The entire ensemble takes on this task “with a political mind and an always open heart”.
When bidding farewell to the audience, Mädler clearly expressed her conviction that “theater always believes in people”: “People are capable of love and changeability”.
The program for the new season should convey this motto of the Memmingen theater makers.
At the end of the day, Mädler asked the audience to tell everyone: "You can go to the theater again!"
Infect and inspire
Even if the coming season is the last for the outgoing director, she could well succeed in “infecting and inspiring” with the new program and her committed ensemble.
Of the thirteen new pieces, five world premieres are planned.
The first starts on September 30th with the stage adaptation of the successful film "Wackersdorf" by Oliver Haffner.
One can wish for the LTS that the large house can soon be filled with more people again, the sense of community in the audience is an important factor in the “theater experience”.
(Tom Otto)
