CAGE AUX FOLLES
Musical by Jerry Hermann
Staatstheater Kassel
Director Matthew Wild
Chorerography Louisa Talbot
Conductor Peter Schedding
Set and Video Sebastian Hannak
Costume Conor Murphy
Lighting Christian Franzen
Dramaturgy Felix Linsmeier
Dramaturgy Felix Linsmeier
This blockbuster musical from the 1980s hasn´t lost a bit of its roaring energy. Insisting on the right to a brightly coloured life outside of narrow-minded conventionality, it brought forth, amongst other hits, the cult song of Liberation I AM WHAT I AM. The large orchestra delivers classical Broadway sound that conveys the feeling of lush entertainment. Georges, Manager of the infamous Saint-Tropez nightclub and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction Zaza guide through the evening in the nightclub featuring drag entertainment with the eccentric ensemble of the Cagelles and Jacob, Zazas Butler, who desperatly wants to be recognized as maid Claudine....Problems arise as their son Jean-Michel falls in love with the daughter of an arch-conservative politician of all people. Together with the leading Team we created a glitzy show with a special nearness to the audience, using the stages´ proscenium as Backstage of the club. A wagner style shiny curtain opens to the different scenes, and using the revolving stage
we could effortlessly move from one scene to the next.
This private room, that plays a special role in the story, is in an allover silver design at the beginning, with every single thing being silver-plated- from naked statues to the lush baroque furniture. We shot a funny black and white video for the beginning of each act: we first get a close-up glimpse of the silver appartment with all its gay icons- both times with Jacob, the maid. Dusting in Act 1, he then is emptying the whole household for the dreaded visit in Act 2: the arch-conservative politicians´ family comes to visit. Everything has to be hidden and stripped of the original, eccentric touch- leaving to convey a dull, heteronormative middle class impression. It goes without saying that this wont be all....in a touching twist of events we get to experience an especially funny and splendid finale with a grand choreography!
