Shift theater

The Shift Theater is a former song and theater group from Dresden . It was founded in 1975 as a spin-off from the student song group of the Technical University of Dresden with the aim of working professionally as a free group within the political song movement in the GDR . A regular cast emerged from a larger circle. The members included Jürgen Magister (guitar, composition), Friedbert Wissmann (keyboard, composition), Peter Wiener (violin), Ludwig Streng (drums, composition), Elke Martens (vocals), Gisela Buckow (flute) and Bernd Rump (text author , Song writer). Later, Lutz Glandien (piano, composition, 1977-1983), Lutz Heinrichs (piano, composition), Eberhard Hasche (bass, composition) and Dietmar Beyer (drums) added. After the singer Elke Martens left the hit business, Gina Pietsch and Angela Raum were part of the team. Mostly they worked on their own texts and compositions. The result was the rainbow songs , which were released as an LP by AMIGA in 1977 . The group went on numerous concert tours through cultural houses, youth clubs, etc.

history

In 1976 the establishment of a political stage at the Kulturpalast Dresden succeeded in creating a permanent rehearsal and performance location in the studio theater . Under the leadership and direction of Karin Wolf, the group staged various projects there until the early 1980s, which were no longer primarily song programs, but increasingly scenic means came to the fore. The group increasingly defined itself as a musical theater without, however, ceasing its pure concert activities. Tours and festivals took the group outside of the GDR through Bulgaria , the Soviet Union , Finland , Belgium , France , Austria , the Federal Republic of Germany and Czechoslovakia . She was present at the festivals of political song in Berlin until the 1980s. Her last appearance there in 1984 with the Heimatkunde program sparked a debate among the officials about the possible dissolution of the group, which, however, did not take place thanks to the support of those responsible in the district . Outside of Dresden, however, the group's career was almost over.

From the start-up project of the Politische Bühne, the political revue Made in GDR , to the youth musical P16 and the songs by Thyl Ulenspiegel (author Klaus-Peter Schwarz ), the group developed its own musical and scenic form of performance, influenced by rock music and serious music , Forms of theater and media techniques (film and photo projections) merged. During this time the group saw itself as part of an international movement of political song and theater. She found partnership and inspiration in comparable groups from predominantly Western countries. Such were u. a. the KOM Teater Helsinki, Floh de Cologne and NJA groups (Stockholm). With a quite comparable socio-critical views like these trying layer to face the issues and problems in the GDR and at the same time to develop a platform in Dresden for other groups and actors in the country.

From 1980 to 1983, four workshops, songs and theater, took place as working meetings. Public performances and talks as well as theoretical discussions of various actors from the theater, serious music, rock music, the songwriting scene, jazz, documentary films as well as theater and musicologists shaped the profile and led to cross-border projects. Groups such as Gerhard Gundermann's Brigade Feuerstein , the Neue Musik Hanns Eisler group , the Liedtheater Karls Enkel and many others took part. The preparation of a fifth workshop was canceled following an intervention by the Central Council of the FDJ . The presentation of the work of Shift outside of Dresden was largely prevented , with a few exceptions in the magazine Theater der Zeit . The minutes of the fourth workshop no longer appeared. Radio and national magazines were prohibited from publishing over a shift , which also affected the author Bernd Rump. Festivals and workshops did not reopen for shifts until 1989, and thus too late.

During this time, the composition and artistic concept of the group changed. An experimental phase in the early 1980s was followed by the opening of a new stage in the Kleiner Theater Reick , a suburban cinema, and the reconstitution as a layered theater. Members now included Jürgen Magister , Bernd Rump, Lothar Koch, Sylke Zimpel , Heinz Drewniok , Andrea Rump , Markwart Fischer , Lutz Schneider , Wolf-Dieter Gööck , Caren Pfeil , Jörg Bochow , Birgit Schaller , Vesta Heyn and Jörg Bernhardt .

Mostly pieces were staged. Part of it was literature revisions, e.g. B. The seventh proof based on the novel The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov and Makra based on the novel The Gone Away Life of Ferenc Markra by Akos Kertesz , another part were collages, e.g. B. the Nicaraguan project Das Quetzalnest based on texts by Ernesto Cardenal or Ich, Peter Weiss , a collage of texts by Weiss published in the GDR and unpublished . There were also productions of well-known and new pieces such as Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera , Heiner Müller's Wolokolamsker Chaussee 1–5 as premieres, Heinz Drewniok's Nach Wangoniland and others. At the same time, the shift theater functioned as a stage for guest performances, e.g. B. by Peter Waschinski , and for literary-political debates, z. B. with Ralf Schröder . From this comes the name theater of perestroika , which may apply to the content concept of this time.

In 1989, on October 5th and 6th , while demonstrations were taking place in the streets, Bernd Rump 's play Mycenae, written in 1988, was a belated reckoning with the decaying power over which the ensemble fell out in the run-up to the premiere.

The shift theater was dissolved in 1990 with the changed political situation, which raised questions about the profile in the run-up to the events of the fall - and the failure of a new formation as an on-site theater under the now different conditions.

reception

In the 1970s, the group “Shift” was considered a pioneer of political song in the GDR. Like the group of songs from which it emerged, it was avant-garde, looking for something new and unique. Specifically in the GDR, the development towards musical theater, the efforts to integrate different arts, as well as the basically collective way of producing, made it a group of its own, which with the usual names singing club, group of political song or song theater is insufficient is to be described. It was part of the relevant scenes, but at the same time different from them with its independent conception. It was a novelty in the theater landscape of the GDR because, with the establishment of its own theater with a permanent venue, it was the only company of its kind that could be realized during the GDR era. Nor did it traditionally differentiate between actors and musicians, but rather their actors were actors who mostly had artistic training as musicians or actors.

The group tried to combine art and politics without succumbing to the risk of affirmation. She tried to combine loyalty to the Marxist social idea with criticism of the prevailing conditions: a tightrope walk that did not always succeed. It went too far for some and not far enough for others. Bernd Rump, the main lyricist, and Jürgen Magister, the composer who wrote most of the compositions, shaped the continuity of the Shift project with their long collaboration. The most important directors were Karin Wolf (until 1982) and Heinz Drewniok (from 1985). The group wrote several hundred songs, of which only a small selection was presented in the media. A second (prepared) LP was never produced, and radio recordings were no longer available from 1983. In the artistic landscape of Dresden, however, the Shift Theater was an important and usually sold out address from the mid-1980s.

Stage programs and plays

Made in GDR. Political review. Launch program of the political stage. 1976.
News from a nearby country. Concert with photos by Uwe Steinberg . 1977.
The trial or 1000 heavens costs the new time. Scenes and song sequence. Text: Bernd Rump . 1977.
P16. Shift musical. Text: Bernd Rump. 1978.
Songs of life. Concert. 1979.
The songs of Thyl Ulenspiegel. Shift opera. Text: Klaus-Peter Schwarz . 1980.
Experiment 1: The planet is inhabited. Collage. 1980.
Experiment 2: Thinking. According to Stanisław Lem . 1981.
Double layer. Concert. 1981.
Fool mirror. Clown theater concert. 1982.
Local lore. Launcher of the Shift Theater. Scenic-musical project. 1984.
Early days. Piece by Bernd Rump. 1984.
The Quezalnest (Nicaragua). Collage based on texts by Ernesto Cardenal . 1984.
The island. Piece by Athol Fugard , Antigonetexte: Bernd Rump. Music: Eberhard Hasche . 1985.
The seventh proof. Piece by Bernd Rump based on the novel Der Meister und Margarita by Michail Bulgakow . 1985.
Macra. Play by Bernd Rump based on the novel The Gone Away Life of Ferenz Makra by Akos Kertesz . 1986.
Me, Peter Weiss. Against the laws of normality. Staged collage by Heinz Drewniok . 1986.
To Wangoniland. Piece by Heinz Drewniok. 1987.
Astoria. Piece by Jura Soyfer . 1987.
The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht. In a chamber music version. 1987.
Diary of a madman. Piece by Werner Bush . 1988.
Deprivation of liberty. Piece by Ulrich Plenzdorf . 1988.
Mauthausen. Cycle by Mikis Theodorakis . 1988.
Wolokolamsker Chaussee 1–5. Heiner Muller . First performance of the entire piece. 1989.
Mycenae. Piece by Bernd Rump. 1989.

Projects

Political stage. 1976 to 1982. In this context, further theater projects took place beyond the productions of the group:

Weather for tomorrow. Piece by Mikhail Schatrow.
Lisa. Piece by Paul Gratzig . Premiere.
The replacement. Piece by Bernd Rump.
We're building a city. Carla Weckesser's improvisation project .
Are we like that? Youth project.
This earth us. International composition for the 10th Festival of Political Song. 1980.
Workshop harvest. Preliminary project for the Lieder und Theater workshop. 1976.
Workshop songs and theater. 1980-1983:
1. Presentation of music. 1980.
2. Art and communication. 1981.
3. Art and document. 1982.
4. Art and work. 1983.

Discography

Migratory birds / song of the dragon. SongGruppe TU Dresden. Single 1974. AMIGA 4 56 059.
Our song - our life. LP 1976. Eterna 8 15 085 (song: Onkel Ho).
2. Helsingin Laulufestivaali. LP 1977. Love Records. (Song: Stand up).
Rainbow songs. Group shift. LP 1977. AMIGA 8 45 135.
Song from the new day. Bernd Rump and the Shift group. LP 1976. AMIGA 8 55 508.
Red songs. 6th Festival of Political Song . LP 1976. Eterna 8 15 084 (song: Optimistic song).
Red songs. 9th Festival of Political Song. LP 1979. AMIGA 8 45 169 (song: Regine).
Decathlon. Political Song Festival 1970–1980. AMIGA 8 45 190191 (song: Regine).
P16. Recording. 1978 (selection)
Double layer. Concert recording from July 20, 1982 in Gera. (Selection)
Political Song Festival - The Seventies. CD 2005 (song: Optimistic song).

Bibliography (selection)

Dietmar Eisold: On a late shift with the Shift group. In: New Germany . February 11, 1976.
Rainer Kasselt: Enjoyment with the unbreakable mug. In: Saxon newspaper . February 13, 1976.
Jürgen Balitzki: Politrevue P16. In: Sunday. 46/1978.
Astrid Volpert: Insights. Bernd Rump songs of life. In: Junge Welt . November 7, 1979.
Karin Großmann: Bernd Rump Lebenslieder. In: Saxon newspaper. 4th July 1980.
This earth us. International composition book. Berlin 1980.
Bernd Langnickel: Songs of Life from Dresden. In: songs and people. Berlin 1982, pp. 201-213.
Double layer. A text book about the program. Dresden 1982. Extradition prohibited.
Thomas Wieke: 10 years shift. A report. Dresden 1985.
Workshop songs and theater 80. Discussion minutes. 1981-1984. Edited by the Academy of Arts of the GDR . Dresden 1982.
Workshop songs and theater. 1981/1982. Discussion minutes. Edited by the Academy of Arts of the GDR. Dresden 1983.
Hans-Eckardt Wenzel, Steffen Mensching: Art = work. In: Temperaments. 2/1984.
Heinz Arnold: Real scenes from the fictional country of Astoria. In: Saxon newspaper. April 8, 1987.
Lothar Ehrlich: Successful game - but questions about the piece remain. Drewniok premiere in the Shift Theater. In: Saxon newspaper. 2nd October 1987.
Heinz Arnold: Reicker version of the Threepenny Opera. In: Saxon newspaper. December 23, 1987.
Ralf Schröder: Go, go your way, Iwan Hauslos. To the Bulgakov reception in the GDR. In: Soviet literature. 1988. No. 7, pp. 166-174.
Wolfgang Kröplin: From orator to joculator. Shift: Vorstadttheater Dresden-Reick. Speech, report, review. In: Theater of Time. 6/1986.
Falko Ballon: new territory. In: Theater of Time. 4/1988.
Martin Linzer : Road without end? In: Theater of Time. 5/1989.
Petra Schwarz: Bernd Rump. Never a songwriter on a business trip. In: song people. Berlin 1989, pp. 177-186.
Lutz Kirchenwitz: Folk, Chanson and Songwriter in the GDR. 1993, ISBN 3-320-01807-8 .
Tomas Petzold: Off-theater and independent scene. In: Dresdner Hefte 101. ISBN 978-3-910055-98-2 , pp. 37–45.
Tomas Petzold: Publications in the Saxon Latest News (selection):
1. Worldview in songs and ballads. August 27, 1982.
2. Optimism without a magic recipe for the 4th workshop in songs and theater. November 23, 1983.
3. Between song poems and early days. Bernd Rump and the Shift group, March 21, 1984.
4. Explorations in and with the theater. Conversation with director Heinz Drewniok before the Peter Weiss premiere, June 18, 1986.
5. Tragic withdrawal and encouragement. to the premiere Makra. in the Shift Theater, December 6, 1986.
6. On the way on an uncomfortable road. Heiner Müller's Wolokolamsker Chaussee 1–5 at the Shift Theater, 1./2. April 1989.
7. Open new pages in history. Projects and perspectives at the Shift Theater; Conversation with director Heinz Drewniok, 26./27. August 1989.
8. End of the Transfiguration. For the world premiere of Bernd Rump's piece Mycenae. at the Shift Theater, October 11, 1989.