Here the puppets dance: 75 years of puppet theater

Created: 01/29/2022, 09:51 am

By: Sophia Oberhuber

Raphael Wiegand (34) has been in charge of the small game since 2009. © Marcus Schlaf

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the "Little Game", Raphael Wiegand tells about his marionette theatre, which is the oldest privately run puppet theater in Munich.

Munich – The hall with the red benches only has 60 seats.

In the small game in Schwabinger* Neureutherstraße there is a puppet theater for adults every Thursday in non-Corona years.

And that for almost 75 years now.

It is the oldest privately run puppet theater in Munich*.

In 1947, the curtain fell in an apartment for the first time.

Admission was not required then or now.

The approximately 40 volunteers play on a donation basis.

Raphael Wiegand (34) has been in charge of the Little Game since 2009. In an interview, he talks about how to perform underwater, why it's particularly funny when a head falls off, and that Jesus and Christian Ude were on stage with him.

75 years of puppet theater: grew up with puppet theater

Many only know marionette theater from their childhood.

What fascinates you about it?

There are several things.

You may be on stage with a character, but you are not the brightly lit actor in the State Opera.

You can do a lot of things with puppets that are not possible on the human stage.

For example, we have a piece that takes place underwater.

It's not a problem to tell something like that credibly.

However, we are also partially bound to gravity, we have not yet been able to switch it off completely ...

The little game shows William Shakespeare, Bertolt Brecht.

Is it difficult to bring plays like this to the puppet stage?

There may be a secret formula for turning plays into good puppet theater.

Unfortunately we don't have that ourselves.

In the end you just have to dare to rewrite such pieces to the extent that it works.

They also make the characters and sets themselves.

How long does it take to make a puppet?

About a week if you have nothing else to do.

We've been building figures for our new play for two years.

But that is also due to the fact that we do everything here alongside our job.

So where does all the knowledge about theater or prop making come from?

This is inherited, self-taught or passed on internally.

My mother has been in the Little Game since the 70's or 80's.

That's why I practically grew up with puppet theater.

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Puppet theater "Kleines Spiel" in Munich

How did you finally end up on stage?

A player was missing and there was an urgent need for youngsters.

I was asked – and didn't come out again, so to speak.

What actually happens if a character breaks during the game?

Sometimes a hand comes off.

It's even funnier when it hits the head.

The figure is completely out of balance.

The speakers then have to come up with something quickly, three people race into the workshop and try to patch the head, and then it's on.

How many figures does the little game have in reserve?

Each piece has its own set of figures.

But we have a lot more.

Figures from old pieces and special items.

For example a Jesus or a Christian Ude.

Altogether there are probably about 300 marionettes.

No performances thanks to Corona

You could not perform during the pandemic*.

Yes, we did the math.

With reasonable spacing, five or six people fit into the audience.

But since we do everything on a voluntary basis, we are financially independent and don't go bankrupt that easily.

We are not comparable to all other cultural sites that are fighting for their existence.

Is there something planned for the 75th birthday of the theater despite Corona*?

There may be something digital on February 7th.

But we certainly won't be having a party.

Hopefully we'll catch up on that in the summer.

Interview: Sophia Oberhuber