Claus Steigenberger's “Narrenschaukel” was an institution.
Now he is going public again with a program.
He says: It's going to be pretty explosive.
Eurasburg -
38 years ago he founded the cabaret group "Narrenschaukel", which not least denounced political grievances in the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen region.
While he was still studying theater studies, Bavarian literary history and education at the LMU Munich, Claus Steigenberger attracted nationwide attention because he successfully campaigned for the renaming of Kolbenheyer-Straße to Geretsried.
In one program, the “fool swing” initially “only” targeted the brown past of the writer Erwin Guido Kolbenheyer, who died in 1962.
The media interest culminated in an article by the renowned ZDF culture magazine "aspekte".
After the "fool swing" was dissolved, the author, who lives in Lengenwies near Eurasburg, wrote texts for well-known cabaret artists and appeared as an actor in Bavarian series and in the comedy nobility.
In addition, the 62-year-old still works as a voice trainer for the BR series "Dahoam is Dahoam".
In an interview with our employee Peter Herrmann, Steigenberger reveals why he is bringing out his own cabaret program again after almost 16 years.
Mr. Steigenberger, how did your new project come about?
Steigenberger
: In the last few years I have only worked for others and finally wanted to do something of my own again.
After the "fool swing" was broken up, I wrote down many ideas in notebooks that kept getting thicker.
Now the pressure grew to make something out of it.
What is the play about?
Steigenberger
: The program is designed for two people and a fictional Bavarian personality.
After a few rehearsals, I managed to get actress Caro Hetényi excited about the project.
In it, she and I comment on current affairs from different perspectives.
We were actually finished in March 2020 and wanted to present the program in autumn 2020.
Then Corona put a spanner in the works.
In the meantime, a lot has happened politically. Did you have to readjust?
Steigenberger
: Yes, that was inevitable.
I have reevaluated a lot.
I've become even sharper and more radical now.
Because of its explosive nature, this program would certainly not be broadcast by any public television company.
The renaming of Kolbenheyer-Straße to Geretsried proved that cabaret could still achieve a lot, especially in the 1980s. How did that happen?
Steigenberger
: During my student days, one of my professors spoke about literature during the Nazi era.
When I heard the name Erwin Guido Kolbenheyer, the alarm bells rang immediately, as this writer joined the NSDAP in the “Third Reich”.
At an appearance by the fool's swing in the Loisachhalle in Wolfratshausen, we dealt with this topic, which the local press gratefully received and led to many letters to the editor.
When an employee of the renowned ZDF culture magazine “aspekte” called my home shortly afterwards, I couldn't believe it.
The political pressure eventually became so great that the city of Geretsried renamed Kolbenheyer-Strasse to Graslitzer Strasse.
The lockdown has now been tightened. An appearance in front of an audience is a long way off. Could you imagine a live stream recording for the Internet?
Steigenberger
: To be honest: no.
Good cabaret lives from the interaction with the audience.
Many artists became even more aware of the importance of the audience during the pandemic.
Keyword livestream: The culture stage ambush in Gelting, founded 30 years ago by your "fool swing" colleague Hias Röttig, to which you have contributed many ideas, is still fighting very successfully for survival with this concept.
Steigenberger
: It would be a shame if this place no longer existed.
There is so much heart and soul in it.
The small theaters in particular receive fewer public grants than the renowned theaters.
You will have a hard time getting through this cultural crisis.
As a freelancer, do you also suffer from financial losses?
Steigenberger
: In contrast to many of my fellow actors, I am very lucky that I can work regularly as a dialect coach for the series “Dahoam is Dahoam”.
Filming was only interrupted once during the initial lockdown for six weeks.
Since then we've been working through again.
Also read: Claus Steigenberger am Nockherberg