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On our first November 2007 visit to the Shakespeare Players at the Friedrich-Ebert-Oberschule, Berlin, June 2008 seemed a long distant prospect, further, perhaps than the boards of Shakespeare`s own Globe Theatre. Since then Director Martina Baasnerand Text/Language Coach Peter Baasner have shaped their spirited students into a working ensemble that explores, celebrates, and seeks to share the richness of Shakespeare´s world. Now, on our third visit of June 6th, 2008, 26 actors, two musicians, and a few puppets, ably supported by a team of set and costume designers, lighting technicians and make-up personnel, were fine-tuning their show for its June 17th, 23rd and 24th outing.
For all the mystique of Shakespeare`s life and work, it is well-known that the world`s greatest dramatist started his writing career with, amongst others, the `Comedy of Errors`, a quick-fire confusion of identities within state rivalries in sunny Ephesus that set the format for his latter work. It´s his shortest piece and, as pointed out during our visit by Martina Baasner, observes the classic unities of time and space - it all takes place in a 24-hour window of time. As a further foreshadow of things to come, it fuses the light `comedy` within a dangerous world of `errors` which can easily turn to tragedy. Thus Egeon (Tim-Patrick Limmer), a merchant from Syracuse, Italy, who comes impoverished to Ephesus in search of his lost wife (Maro Schulte) and sons Antipholuses (Kilian Peters & Dennis Gierig). He is soon arrested for trespassing and must either pay 1000 marks or be executed. Thus the clock ticks and the plot fires into action. It is to Baasner`s credit that performers keep this crucial balance in view, alongside a rich tapestry of character developments that ensures that they are in role across the arc of the performance.
Not that the students need so much guiding as several of the cast can claim to be veterans already of previous Shakespeare Player`s outings: Berk Yagci (Solinus, Duke of Ephesus), with Maro Schulte, and Dilara Dodurgali (Luciana) performed with Dennis Gierig (Antipholus of Ephesus ) in the 2006 performance of `The Winter`s Tale`. Gierig also featured as Antonio in `The Tempest` (2007) alongside Nelson Antonio, Nurhan Hayta, and Almila Bagriacik who then was in the choir and who now plays the Courtesan. And finally, there is Kilian Peters (Antipholus of Syracuse) who was Ariel in `The Tempest` of 2007, `Much Ado...`, 2003, `The Merry Wives of Windsor` 2004, and `As You Like It`, 2005 where he played Orlando. As usual with Shakespeare, it`s hard work for the standard figures since the Shakespeare`s world gives dramatic space to all-comers. Theatre-goers should be particularly appreciative, then, of Bagriacik, Dodurgali, and the work of Tim-Patrick Limmer whose well-paced parental woes give due weight to the play`s opening. His darkness is neatly counter-balanced by some frantic pacing which is finely achieved by the dexterous buoyancy of the wayward twins, Alexander Daberkow & Nurhan Hayta.
So, we left the Players as actors were negotiating for the first time with `real`doors, as costumes were needled for the last time and when a golden Mediterranean sun was being hewn from its hard-board wooden backing. CODA. Full details, including cast bios, crew, & past present and future projects see:- http://www.shakespeare-players.de/. They can also be heard here: http://twitter.com/ShakePlayers. Photos 1 & 2 by Alan Taylor; School Banner Martina Baasner. |
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