Category Archives: shows

No Man’s Land

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No Man’s Land
Director: Sean Mathias, Robin Lough
Writer: Harold Pinter
Cast: Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Owen Teale, Damien Molony
Seen on: 26.6.2021

Plot:
Hirst (Patrick Stewart) brings home Spooner (Ian McKellen) for a drink after just meeting in a pub. Spooner seems to have seen better days, while Hirst is obviously well-off. As Spooner talks, it appears that the encounter may not have been entirely by chance, Spooner seems to know more about Hirst. His behaviour certainly draws the suspicions of Foster (Damien Molony) and Briggs (Owen Teale) – apparently part of Hirst’s household – who question Spooner after Hirst leaves the room. But nobody really figures out what is going on here, at least not a first.

No Man’s Land is well-acted and I liked the stage design, but I could not handle this play. It’s really not my thing, to put it mildly.

The poster for the production, showing Spooner (Ian McKellen) and Hirst (Patrick Stewart) standing next to each other in suits, with serious expressions.
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Re-Watch: Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931) + Muthspiel / Rom / Eggner

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Tabu: A Story of the South Seas
Director: F.W. Murnau
Writer: F.W. Murnau, Robert J. Flaherty, Edgar G. Ulmer
Cast: Matahi, Anne Chevalier, Bill Bambridge, Hitu, Ah Fong, Jules, Mehao
Part of: Film and Music Cycle in the Konzerthaus
With music by Wolfgang Muthspiel, played by him, Mario Rom and Florian Eggner
Seen on: 22.5.2021
[Here’s my first review of the film, without live music.]

Content Note: white gaze / racism

Plot:
On Bora Bora, a young boy, Matahi (Matahi), and a young girl, Reri (Anne Chevalier), fall in love. But when Reri is declared the Chosen Maid, the sacred virgin of the island by their leader, an old warrior (Hito), not even the thought of love is allowed anymore. But Marahi and Reri are not willing to accept that and decide to flee.

Since this year, the Film and Music Cycle was a little difficult – of the four performances, two were canceled and I couldn’t see one – I knew that I wanted to see this final film, even though they had to change the original program and swapped in Tabu – a film that I had seen before and hadn’t particularly liked. And while it was great to be out in a theater/concert hall again, a second viewing didn’t change my mind either, especially not with that musical accompaniment.

The film poster showing a drawing of Matahi (Matahi) as he spear-fishes.
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One Man, Two Guvnors

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One Man, Two Guvnors
Director: Nicholas Hytner
Writer: Richard Bean
Based on: Carlo Goldoni‘s Servant of Two Masters
Cast: James Corden, Jemima Rooper, Oliver Chris, Suzie Toase, Daniel Rigby, Claire Lams, Tom Edden
Seen on: 9.4.2020
[Here’s my review of an Austrian production of Goldoni’s play.]

Content Note: rape joke

Plot:
Pauline (Claire Lams) and Alan (Daniel Rigby) are celebrating their engagement when Frances (James Corden) knocks on the door to announce that his employer Roscoe (Jemima Rooper) is there. Roscoe supposedly died a couple of days ago and his sudden appearance is doubly upsetting because Pauline, and more importantly her dowry, were promised to him long time ago. What Pauline doesn’t know is that it isn’t actually Roscoe but his twin sister Rachel who comes to collect the dowry, so she can flee with her fiancé who did kill Roscoe. As Rachel-as-Roscoe waits for the dowry, she takes camp in a hotel. Also in that hotel – unbeknownst to Rachel – is her fiancé Stanley (Oliver Chris). Thinking him unemployed, Stanley hires Frances who is always looking for a way to get to some food. But serving two guvnors isn’t easy, as Frances soon discovers.

I missed this production when it came to the cinemas and now that National Theatre is offering some of their plays to watch at home, it was the ideal opportunity for me to catch up with this one, since I heard a lot of good things about it. And I have to say, it was a very enjoyable production that definitely made me laugh.

Frances (James Corden) holding out a flower.
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Sex Smells

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Sex Smells
Director: Paula Thielecke from Kollektiv Eins
Writer: Paula Thielecke
Cast: Marlene-Sophie Haagen, Fabian Raabe, Carolin Wiedenbröker, Tara Afsah
Seen on: 11.3.2020

Content Note: ableism, suicide

Plot:
The Hot Flamingo Bar is a feminist porn cinema / brothel run by Muschi McMuschi (Marlene-Sophie Haagen), Captain Rodeo (Carolin Wiedenbröker) and Gloria Maria Wurst (Fabian Raabe). But the Bar and its staff are in trouble. Bills can’t be paid, gentrification lurks around the corner – and there is only a very limited amount of time left for them to stop it and keep their place.

Sex Smells has some interesting and some funny moments but overall, I was hoping for a little more from it.

Marlene-Sophie Haagen, Fabian Raabe, Carolin Wiedenbröker on stage
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Agnes Obel (Support: Marlène)

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Agnes Obel played a concert in Vienna with the support of Marlène.
Seen on: 4.3.2020

I didn’t know Marlène before and while I don’t think her music is bad, it wasn’t really to my liking. But Agnes Obel – who I went to the concert for – definitely was. Beautiful music, excellent performance, Obel herself is super-charming… I couldn’t ask for more!

A portrait shot of Agnes Obel in front of a black background. It is slightly out of focus.
Agnes Obel
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lilly among clouds (Support: OSKA)

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lilly among clouds played a concert in Vienna with the support of OSKA.
Seen on: 28.2.2020

lilly among clouds drifted into my Discover Weekly, and I was immediately taken with her music. So when she brought out a new album and made a tour stop in Vienna, I knew I had to be there. And her concert really didn’t disappoint – it was a great evening.

A photo of the singer with her hair tied back in front of a pink background.
lilly among clouds
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Mighty Oaks (Support: Jackson Dyer)

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Mighty Oaks played a show in Vienna with the support of Jackson Dyer.
Seen on: 18.2.2020

I saw the Mighty Oaks a few years ago at the Frequency Festival before I even really knew them and enjoyed them then, but it took me another few years to really start listening to them some more. But now the timing was just right: I listened to them a lot, they just released a new album and I was ready to see them again. And it was a wonderful concert.

A photo of the band consisting of three white men.
Mighty Oaks
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The Phantom of the Opera (1925) + Thierry Escaich

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The Phantom of the Opera
Director: Rupert Julian, Lon Chaney, Ernst Laemmle, Edward Sedgwick
Writer: Walter Anthony, Elliott J. Clawson, Bernard McConville, Frank M. McCormack, Tom Reed, Raymond L. Schrock, Richard Wallace, Jasper Spearing
Based on: Gaston Leroux‘s novel
Cast: Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry, Arthur Edmund Carewe, Gibson Gowland, John St. Polis, Snitz Edwards, Mary Fabian, Virginia Pearson
Part of: Film and Music Cycle in the Konzerthaus
With music by Thierry Escaich
Seen on: 12.2.2020

Plot:
The Opera in Paris haunted – but not by some specter, but by the Phantom (Lon Chaney) that dwells in the catacombs beneath the opera house. When the Phantom, himself a musical genius, realizes the talent of Christine (Mary Philbin), he makes sure that her career as a singer takes off. But ultimately, he wants Christine for himself – and that means getting her away from her fiancé Raoul (Norman Kerry).

The Phantom of the Opera is an absolute classic and with good reason, even if a lot seems cheesy from today’s perspective. Escaich’s accompaniment on the organ was the perfect choice for the film.

The film poster showing a drawing of the phantom diving after a boat.
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Editors (Support: Whispering Sons)

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Editors played a concert in Vienna with the support of Whispering Sons.
Seen on: 7.2.2020

I’ve seen Editors a couple of times now and they’re always good. This time was no exception. What was an exception, though, is that I actually knew the supporting band, Whispering Sons, and love at least one of their songs. In short, it was a very enjoyable evening of music.

Photo of the band consisting of five white men.
Editors
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Phantom (1922) + PHACE

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Phantom
Director: F.W. Murnau
Writer: Thea von Harbou, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
Based on: Gerhart Hauptmann‘s novel
Cast: Alfred Abel, Lya De Putti, Frida Richard, Aud Egede-Nissen, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Adolf Klein, Olga Engl, Karl Etlinger, Lil Dagover
Part of: Film and Music Cycle in the Konzerthaus
With music by PHACE
Seen on: 10.1.2020

Plot:
Lorenz (Alfred Abel) walks a little aimlessly through his life, dreaming of publishing his poetry, but not much ambition for anything.That is, until fate seems to strike – quite literally: he gets run over by Veronica (Lya De Putti), beautiful, rich, and very much from another world than he is. Lorenz can’t stop thinking about her anymore. When he finds another girl, Melitta (Lya De Putti), who looks just like Veronica but is more within his reach, he will do anything to win her over, even if it means going in considerable debt.

Phantom the film might be better than the impression I had of it after this evening, simply because I really struggled with the music by PHACE this time. Ultimately, the evening felt rather exhausting to me.

The film poster showing a drawing of a woman's face on a black background.
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