On the evening of July 7th, 2022 I had the pleasure to witness a very elegant, very peculiar and very fascinating cultural event. Namely, the festive opening of the Second International Theater Festival “Klein aber fein” organized by the Theatre A Parte in Witten. And being conducted at the very cozy and cute premises of the aforementioned Theatre. Yes, with the capital letter “T”.
First of all, I would like to thank wholeheartedly the Theatre A Parte for this invitation. And, please, let me describe, in the chronological time line order the sequence of that evening. It was a very benevolent weather, thus, the welcoming words of Boris Schwarzmann, in German and Russian languages, were complemented by the pleasing Zephyr breeze of the Gulfstream. I sensed its soothing air born vibrations. In the hindsight I am asserting myself in this impression. And also would like to thank the interpreter. The words of the Theatre A Parte scenic director Boris Schwarzmann were parlayed with precision and in timbre, dignifying the aura of the stage.
After the greeting word by Boris Schwarzmann there took place the musical piano performance by Noah. I think that one of the scores in these sky-scraping jazz improvisations sequences did belong to George Gershwin. Next time I go to the performance or Festival at Theatre A Parte I would like to confirm my musical guess. Possibly, my theatrical moods and expectations were tuned to the rhapsody, oceanic rhapsody sentiments (Dortmund is a very big inland port connected with the ocean).
The musical part of the opening ceremony was lead into the drama stage performance, acted by two actresses Katya Beil and Jessica. With Katya Beil I had the chance to talk before the performance and during the play too! As she “appointed” me the guardian of her character's luggage! Two huge checkered bags! And for me, especially, during the performance, this was quite an involving dramatic task. Which fulfilled even more my sense of appreciation for being the spectator at this Thespian event.
...The story of two women, heading for the chef's competition from the two different parts of United Germany is very touching and very humorous. And the psychological portraits of the two major heroines of this story, painted on stage with the bright, humorous and refined acting colours, were idiosyncratic for the society dramatis personae from Germany of the 1990s and the migration fusion between United Germany and former USSR, experiencing agonizing pangs of disintegration. I think. And they were intrinsically connected with those turbulent times, humorously, brilliantly comedically enlivened on stage.
There were, indeed, the moments of stark laughter, of reminiscing not so far-fetched past, of warm nostalgia... and of the sadness too. Many moments to award actresses with the claps of ovations and vivant, recuperating thoughts!
These were the moments projected at the audience from the stage on the evening of July 7th, 2022 in Theatre A Parte in Witten.
It was also very nice to converse briefly with Katya Beil, Jessica and Noah during the après staging party. And express my gratitude for their acting, dramatic, musical contribution for the “Klein aber fein” of Theatre Festival. And, especially, to Katya Beil, who gregariously granted me the right to be the actor too. Even if just for the duration of several, very fleeting eloping instances. Yes, I am in love with the Theatre!
Special Thanks to the hostess of this Chamber Gala, to Julia Joswig who is daughter of Katya and Boris. The hospitable ambience and very nice treats were the integral congenial part of this convivial theatrical fête.
I would dare to think and guess that Melpomene would have been very pleased with the debut soiree of this elegantly boutique Theatre Festival. I did sense the Thespian spirit there. And do believe, that the standing ovations and exclamations “Encore - encore!” und “Bravo!” are to be resonating through the space of the Theatre a Parte, (through its invisible arching vaults of Theater history), many more times in the upcoming days and evenings of the Festival!
Klein aber sehr fein! Very much fine!
I hope to be asserting more and more in those first impressions of mine. Theatre A Parte in Witten has opened its doors for the audience. This July does promise to be quite dramatic in Witten and in North Rhine-Westphalia! In the Thespian sense, I mean.
Theatrically Yours,
Pinkhas – Peter Friesen
(in Israeli passport: Petr Frizen)
German Version of the Article:
http://afz-ethnos.org/index.php/aktuelles/268-klein-aber-sehr-fein-nachrichten-der-thespian-gazette