Exactly 60 years ago Romy Schneider played herself for the first time as Empress Sissi into the hearts of an audience of millions. An anniversary that absolutely has to be celebrated properly. Who believes that this will happen with the Frankfurt guest performance of the musical "Elisabeth" in December, is very much mistaken. Because already starting from 06 October "Sissi" in the Theatrallalla in completely special kind is celebrated. For the anniversary, artistic director Thomas Bäppler-Wolf has chosen the play "Sissi - Beuteljahre einer Kaiserin" from the pen of Walter Bockmayer. The author and director, who sadly passed away in October 2014 and was considered the discoverer and promoter of Dirk Bach, Hella von Sinnen and Ralph Morgenstern, was known for his very quirky, non-conformist humor, and not just since his film "Die Geierwally". His plays, which include slightly different versions of the operas "Carmen" and "La Traviata", are colorful, quirky and offbeat. This may not appeal to every lover of intellectual high culture, but it is not without reason that one hears the word cult in connection with the name Walter Bockmayer.
In the Theatrallalla, his "Sissi" is really in good hands. Already during the rehearsals the four actors Bäppi La Belle, Viktor Vössing, Pierre Humphrey and Thomas Koob, who all play 12 roles, had a lot of fun. Vössing, for example, enjoys the fact that he can improvise whenever he feels like it, and that he can finally let his hair down on stage. And Thomas Koop is happy that he is allowed to wear fummels for the first time in this "costume orgy". The fun the four of them already had during rehearsals is then also noticeable on stage and is thus quickly transferred to the audience. The play may be complete nonsense - but just unrestrained nonsense can be a lot of fun. And in this respect Bäppi and consorts deliver well.
Already the story is wonderfully absurd: Sissi has a child, which, as it turns out later, was not fathered by Emperor Franz Joseph, but by Ludwig II, who is actually gay. Sissi is particularly keen to keep this secret from her domineering mother-in-law. But then the child is kidnapped to Hungary and Marika Rökk has to intervene as a saviour in distress. Oh yes, and one of the people involved turns out to be a vampire.
The story, which is not a particularly extensive one, has been transformed into a kind of musical for this production with quite a few musical numbers. The choice of songs, whose lyrics have sometimes been adapted to the play, is as unadapted and quirky as the rest of the production. The "Rocky Horror Show" meets Marika Rökk, mood hits like "Cowboy und Indianer" meet dramatic musical hymns from "Tanz der Vampire" or Hape Kerkeling's wonderful "Winterzeit in Wien" meets a very own version of Dorde's 60s hit "Wärst Du doch in Düsseldorf geblieben". In addition, there are numerous costume and role changes and four actors who really let off steam on stage. Thomas Bäppler-Wolf is well aware that this work will divide opinions. He therefore offers Romy Schneider fans pastoral support after the play. But this is not really necessary. Because if you accept the fact that no straightforward high culture is offered here, but simply exuberant nonsense, then "Sissi - Beuteljahre einer Kaiserin" is great fun. And the only treatment that one then needs after almost two hours is at most a relaxation for the overstrained laughing muscles.
So one can look forward to a colourful, shrill and delightfully absurd evening. Bäppi La Belle promises that each of the performances will be different, as the play is constantly evolving and lives from its spontaneous improvisations. As advance sales are going very well, you should quickly secure a ticket for this over-the-top musical comedy. Because "Sissi" has never been this much fun!
(Text by Sebastian Betzold)
