Bernd Lafrenz

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Bernd Lafrenz in Hamlet at a performance in Ludwigsburg 2011
Bernd Lafrenz at the culture exchange in Freiburg 2008
Bernd Lafrenz at ZMF 2016 in Freiburg

Bernd Lafrenz (* 1955 in Kiel ) is a German theater actor , comedian, author , theater director and theater director , who dedicates himself to the adaptation and performance of William Shakespeare's plays as solo comedies. His play is a combination of mask theater, body theater, pantomime , clowning and parody .

life and work

Studies and theater training

Bernd Lafrenz first studied Romance studies and Latin in Kiel, later in Paris and finally in Freiburg , because he originally wanted to become a teacher of French and Latin. In Kiel he gained his first stage experience under the direction of Peter Nickel. In Paris he attended other theater courses, among others with Philippe Gaulier. After moving to Freiburg, he continued his theater training with the clown Johannes Galli and the Argentine actor and director Benito Gutmacher.

Foundation of the King Alfons Theater and collaboration with Johannes Galli

In 1982 Bernd Lafrenz founded the "König Alfons" theater together with Andreas Balzer. Directed by Johannes Galli, who coined the name "King Alfons" as early as 1978, Lafrenz and Balzer played his clown play The Examination . The premiere was on March 19, 1982. In 1986 this production was awarded the Baden-Württemberg Cabaret Prize. Another joint project with Johannes Galli was the play Kain und Abel - a clown drama , which Galli later performed himself under various titles, including no and no .

Mask theater in Florence

Lafrenz also began his work as a solo performer in 1982. At that time he claims to have had a dream in which he saw himself playing a theater in a large square with masks. In the same year he put this dream into practice in Florence, on the Piazza della Signoria . The plaster masks were made by his girlfriend. Lafrenz involved his audience in the game. Soon afterwards he broke off his studies to devote himself entirely to the theater.

First Shakespeare solo programs

At first Lafrenz tried to move his mask theater indoors in winter, but quickly realized that the street theater atmosphere could not easily be transferred to a closed hall. This is how he came up with the idea of ​​combining his mask theater pieces with a classical subject. After reading Goethe , Dante , Molière and Shakespeare , his choice finally fell on Hamlet . His adaptation of Hamlet premiered in 1983.

Lafrenz worships Shakespeare for his ability to hold up a mirror to people in a wide variety of ways, which means that Shakespeare's themes are always relevant. In Hamlet 1989 followed Macbeth and 1991 with Othello two other Shakespearean tragedies, parodies Lafrenz said in his own way.

With his adaptation of Macbeth , Bernd Lafrenz was invited to the Expo 2000 in Hanover, to the Weimar Shakespeare Days of the German Shakespeare Society and to the Shakespeare Festival in the Globe Theater in Neuss.

Cooperation with Benito Gutmacher

Parallel to the first Shakespeare solo comedies and the plays by Galli, Bernd Lafrenz worked on several projects under the direction of his teacher Benito Gutmacher . The piece of bread was created either in 1981 or in 1988 with the theater group of an Gutmacher workshop .

Two pieces were created with the “König Alfons” theater: 1984/85 Faust ver-wegt with Andreas Balzer and Bernd Lafrenz, and 1986 Molière and I - The Confusions of Prof. KS Granowski as a second solo program by Bernd Lafrenz.

The musical Caligula was created in 1986 or 1989 in coproduction with the Junge Forum Recklinghausen, the theater "König Alfons" and the Freiburg music theater group "Die Schönen der Nacht", led by Leopold Kern and Herbert Wolfgang. Bernd Langer wrote the music for this.

1989/90 Lafrenz played together with Benito Gutmacher the Argentine comedy Bleib im Pajama (original title: La fiaca ) by Ricardo Talesnik , directed by Nestor Raimondi.

Andreas Balzer left the “König Alfons” theater in 1990 to work as a manager at the Heilbronn children's and youth theater. Bernd Lafrenz continued the name alone.

Further Shakespeare adaptations in collaboration with Abel Aboualiten

From 1994, took Abel Aboualiten from Paris, who there at the International Ecole de Mimodrame with Marcel Marceau in Mimodramatik was designed for Bernd Lafrenz the task of the director. He directed the adaptations of Romeo and Juliet , King Lear , The Storm , A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Taming of the Shrew . The latter was created in 2010 as a co-production with the Minden City Theater , inspired by its director Bertram Schulte.

Abel Aboualiten is also involved as an author in Lafrenz's Shakespeare arrangements.

Trademark

A trademark of Bernd Lafrenz's game is the interaction with the audience. The audience is usually animated to provide the background noise for the events on the stage. From time to time Lafrenz also distributes small extras or speaking roles, such as B. that of the "nurse" in Hamlet .

The masks as an element of the Commedia dell'arte are also an integral part of Lafrenz's Shakespeare productions. They not only appear where the Shakespeare text dictates it - for example at the Capulets' masquerade ball in Romeo and Juliet - but B. also in Hamlet , where each mask stands for one of the figures, or in Macbeth , where he wears a mask during a bizarre witch's dance.

Another characteristic is the trick of turning a secondary character into the narrator, who comments on the plot in his own words or summarizes it in parts, e.g. B. Romeo's servant Balthasar in Romeo and Juliet or Christopher Sly in The Taming of the Shrew .

In his texts, Lafrenz merges Shakespeare quotes with everyday language. With the vocal accentuated change from one language level to the other, the contrast between comic and dramatic scenes is increased.

The most prominent feature of his play are the rapid role changes including facial expressions, gestures, posture, voice and costume props, through which he succeeds in depicting the entire range of Shakespeare's characters with just a few props.

Appearances

Lafrenz has also performed in Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and France. He has translated four of his pieces into French. He played at the international theater festivals of Avignon , Paris, Cannes and Monaco. He has also been invited to Pécs in Hungary.

In 1992 he received the Theater Prize of the German-speaking Community of St. Vith in Belgium with Othello .

repertoire

  • Hamlet - loosely comical after Shakespeare ; Idea, text, direction and play: Bernd Lafrenz; Masks: Hélène Caboor
  • Macbeth - Scary Comedy based on Shakespeare ; Idea, text, direction and play: Bernd Lafrenz; Masks and props: Hélène Caboor
  • Othello - loosely based on Shakespeare ; Idea, text, direction and play: Bernd Lafrenz; Oeil extérieur: Abel Aboualiten, Paris
  • Romeo & Juliet - freely based on Shakespeare ; Idea, text and play: Bernd Lafrenz; Director: Abel Aboualiten
  • King Lear - freely based on Shakespeare ; Idea and game: Bernd Lafrenz; Text: Bernd Lafrenz & Abel Aboualiten; Director: Abel Aboualiten
  • The storm - loosely based on Shakespeare ; Idea and game: Bernd Lafrenz; Text: Bernd Lafrenz & Abel Aboualiten; Director: Abel Aboualiten
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream - loosely based on Shakespeare ; Idea and game: Bernd Lafrenz; Text: Bernd Lafrenz & Abel Aboualiten; Director: Abel Aboualiten
  • The Taming of the Shrew - loosely based on Shakespeare ; Idea: Bertram Schulte, director of the Minden City Theater; Game: Bernd Lafrenz; Text: Abel Aboualiten & Bernd Lafrenz; Director: Abel Aboualiten
  • Love, lust and passion ; a best of Bernd Lafrenz

in French:

  • Hamlet, adaptation libre et comique ; d'apres Shakespeare
  • Macbeth, une comédie frissonnante ; d'apres Shakespeare
  • Othello, tragédie cocasse ; d'apres Shakespeare
  • Roméo & Juliette, tragédie cocasse ; d'apres Shakespeare

Awards

Publications

  • Bernd Lafrenz: Hamlet . In: Shakespeare in the madhouse. German-language Shakespeare parodies from two centuries . Ed., Commented and introduced by Gerhard Müller-Schwefe. A. Francke, Tübingen 1990, pp. 419-433. ISBN 978-3-7720-1851-0
  • Bernd Lafrenz: Othello . In: What did they do with Shakespeare! More old and new German-language Shakespeare parodies . Ed., Commented and introduced by Gerhard Müller-Schwefe. A. Francke, Tübingen / Basel 1993, pp. 131-133. ISBN 978-3-7720-1946-3
  • Bernd Lafrenz: Macbeth . In: What did they do with Shakespeare! More old and new German-language Shakespeare parodies . Ed., Commented and introduced by Gerhard Müller-Schwefe. A. Francke, Tübingen / Basel 1993, pp. 135–159. ISBN 978-3-7720-1946-3

Web links

Commons : Bernd Lafrenz  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Thomas Moser: Hamlet - free funny after Shakespeare . Comedy theater with Bernd Lafrenz . (PDF; 389 kB) Press release from: BerLi-Press, Berlin July 4, 2008. Accessed on May 24, 2013.
  2. ↑ a b c d O.A .: Bernd Lafrenz in Hamlet - free and funny based on Shakespeare ( Memento of the original from January 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . (PDF; 2.89 MB) Program for a benefit performance in the Wodanhalle Freiburg on October 25, 2007. Accessed on May 24, 2013. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.praxisklinik-stuehlinger.de
  3. ↑ a b Galli Germany: The Beginnings 1979-1986 . Archives of the Galli Group. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  4. ↑ Johannes Galli: The test  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Entry in the catalog of the Association of German Stage and Media Publishers. Retrieved May 24, 2013.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.theatertexte.de  
  5. ↑ Ottmar Faller: Mama, I'm going to be an actor now . In: Badische Zeitung . Freiburg November 19, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  6. ↑ a b Georg Giesebrecht: Love, Lust and Passion - Bernd Lafrenz is celebrating the 25th Shakespeare anniversary ( Memento of the original from December 25, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . (PDF; 163 kB) In: chilli . Freiburg April 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2013. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / chilli-freiburg.de
  7. ^ Gabi Maria Metternich: Hamlet - freely based on Shakespeare . (PDF; 117 kB) Press release from ufaFabrik , Berlin 2008. Accessed on May 24, 2013.
  8. ↑ Bernd Lafrenz: Macbeth . In: What did they do with Shakespeare! More old and new German-language Shakespeare parodies . Ed., Commented and introduced by Gerhard Müller-Schwefe. A. Francke , Tübingen / Basel 1993, p. 136. ISBN 978-3-7720-1946-3
  9. ↑ Bernd Lafrenz: Othello . In: What did they do with Shakespeare! More old and new German-language Shakespeare parodies . Ed., Commented and introduced by Gerhard Müller-Schwefe. A. Francke, Tübingen / Basel 1993, p. 132. ISBN 978-3-7720-1946-3
  10. ↑ Macbeth. Free-funny based on William Shakespeare . August 7, 2000 . Expo2000 website, event overview, theater / stage. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  11. ↑ Bernd Lafrenz: Macbeth . June 28, 1992 . Shakespeare Festival im Globe Neuss, Das Globe, festival program 1991-2012. Retrieved May 25, 2013
  12. ↑ a b c Spanish Wikipedia entry on Benito Gutmacher . Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  13. ↑ a b c d e f g Website of Bernd Lafrenz, biography ( memento of the original from February 22, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved May 25, 2013.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.lafrenz.de
  14. ↑ For the content of the piece s. Molière and I  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . app ::: art promotion project marketing art and culture, Stuttgart: Recommendation from the field of cabaret and drama. Retrieved May 25, 2013.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.art-prom.de  
  15. ↑ S. Productions by Benito Gutmacher on the website of the artist agency Die Legende . Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  16. ^ Website Die Schönen ( Memento of the original from August 26, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved May 25, 2013. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.wolfgang-und-kern.de
  17. ↑ Andreas Balzer's website ( Memento of the original from January 19, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved May 25, 2013. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.balzerplus.de
  18. ↑ Website by Bernd Lafrenz, director ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved May 25, 2013.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.lafrenz.de
  19. ^ A b Ursula Koch: First premiere for Bernd Lafrenz outside of Freiburg . In: Mindener Tageblatt . Minden April 13, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  20. ↑ mek: A mad Shakespeare who misplaces glasses . In: Badische Zeitung, May 5, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  21. ^ Sybille Schönhofen: Hamlet thrilled under the big top . In: Trierischer Volksfreund from July 5, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  22. ↑ Rosemarie Tillessen: Bernd Lafrenz brushes Shakespeare's Hamlet against the grain . In: Südkurier . Konstanz June 26, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  23. ↑ See photo at mek: A mad Shakespeare who misplaces glasses . In: Badische Zeitung, May 5, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  24. ↑ a b Udo Hallstein: Love game with sheets . In: Eckernförder Zeitung . Eckernförde February 14, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  25. ↑ a b Hanna Irabi: Shakespeare with a difference  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: New Westphalian . Bielefeld February 22, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2013.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.nw-news.de  
  26. ^ A b French website by Bernd Lafrenz, Service Presse . Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  27. ↑ a b O.A .: Comedy one-man theater in Adelsheim . In: Fränkische Nachrichten , Tauberbischofsheim April 22, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  28. ^ French contribution: TV FR3: Hamlet tragédie cocasse à Monaco 2010 Festival Fort Antoine . July 13, 2010. On YouTube . Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  29. ↑ Mentioned under this title in: Bernd Lafrenz: Hamlet . In: Shakespeare in the madhouse. German-language Shakespeare parodies from two centuries . Ed., Commented and introduced by Gerhard Müller-Schwefe. A. Francke, Tübingen 1990, p. 419. ISBN 978-3-7720-1851-0
  30. ↑ See on the person. Bernd Lafrenz . Archive of the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung . mz-web GmbH, Halle / Saale May 22, 2006. Accessed May 26, 2013.
personal data
SURNAME Lafrenz, Bernd
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German theater actor
DATE OF BIRTH 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH Kiel