Mustard pot
| Mustard pot | |
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| location | |
| Address: | Grosse Neugasse 2–4 |
| City: | Cologne |
| Coordinates: | 50 ° 56 '23 " N , 6 ° 57' 39" E |
| Architecture and history | |
| Opened: | March 5, 1959 |
| Spectator: | 174 seats |
| Internet presence: | |
| Website: | Mustard pot |
The Senftöpfchen is a renowned cabaret and cabaret theater in Cologne that has become known beyond Germany's borders. It was founded in 1959 by Fred and Alexandra Kassen and has helped many artists to fame as a talent factory.
Beginnings
The married couple Fred and Alexandra Kassen founded the artists' pub “Stachelschwein” in Munich-Schwabing in 1955, in which the cabaret group “The Nameless” also performed. From this came the cabaret “ Münchner Lach- und Schießgesellschaft ”, for which Fred Kassen wrote the couplets from “Because they don't have to do what they do” (premiere on December 12, 1956) to “Eine kleine Machtmusik” (May 7, 1958) . In 1958, Kassen sold the program to director Sammy Drechsel .
The Kassen couple moved to Cologne in February 1959 and took with them a small ensemble consisting of Brigitte Mira , Heinz Junge, Gerd Martienzen and Bruno W. Pantel . Fred Kassen acted as lyricist, composer, director, pianist and director for the first cabaret in Cologne. At that time there were only 7 theaters in Cologne, but no cabaret. The Kassen closed this gap in the market when they opened the Senftöpfchen Theater in Cologne on March 5, 1959 on Pipinstrasse. Son Klaus and daughter Alexandra Franziska (* 1956) followed their parents to Cologne. It should be a small theater of topicality, in which irony, satire and the sharp criticism of the time should be presented. That was the reason for the name "Senftöpfchen". Fred Kassen was not a newcomer to the music and theater scene, as he had been a member of the official successor group of the famous Comedian Harmonists , the master sextet, since 1935 .
The established actors and cabaret artists who appeared in mustard pots in the beginning included Gert Fröbe , Lore Lorentz , Ernst Stankowski , Dieter Hildebrandt , Werner Schneyder and Hanns Dieter Hüsch . The icons of German chanson such as Helen Vita , Gisela May , Evelyn Künneke and Dora Dorette also celebrated great successes here.
Contemporary literary and political cabaret, erotic “Chansons extra-ordinaire” (Helen Vita), cheeky boulevard pieces and the initially risky travesty show “Folies Parisiennes” (1976) were presented. A mixed audience met in the theater, there was discussion, criticism and partying at the bar until morning. "It is worth trying what our Cologne literary cabaret Senftöpfchen has to offer", announced the Cologne mayor.
After the death of Fred Kassen
In 1972, Fred Kassen died suddenly and unexpectedly. After the death of her husband, the widow decided to continue his work. With curiosity and a willingness to take risks, patience and skill, Alexandra Kassen transformed the mustard pot into a modern cabaret in the course of the 1970s. Promoting young talent has been her main goal ever since, and so the mustard pot became a career springboard for young artists - and it has remained so to this day. First examples of this are Mike Krüger and Wolf Biermann . The latter performed here after his expatriation from the GDR in November 1976.
Solo cabaret, comedy and music dominated the program. In 1973, Alfred Biolek presented his new format of a live talk show to the landlady, “Whoever comes, comes”. “Do you want to do a talk show? I have no idea what that is, but just do it. ”For more than two years and at 43 appearances, many personalities from politics, art and show business took their places on the old sofa of the small theater. It became an address for prominent artists. The WDR took over the format as " Kölner Treff " on January 25, 1976. The Cologne carnival groups Bläck Fööss and De Höhner started their first concerts here (1975). The unknown offspring of the cabaret and cabaret scene who found a springboard in the old mustard pot also included Fredl Fesl , the Blattuß brothers , Jürgen von der Lippe , Konrad Beikircher , Robert Kreis , Georgette Dee , Sissi Perlinger , Harald Schmidt and Konstantin Wecker . The travesty duo Mary & Gordy celebrated their first successes after starting their careers in 1978, also in mustard pots . The Colonia Duet , which was unforgettable in Cologne's carnival , performed in the old theater from June 2nd to 4th, 1981, of which there is a live recording (LP EMI # 1 C 064-46 517). Carl Schell was on stage here between 1981 and 1982.
move
In 1986 the cabaret, which was still not subsidized with public funds, moved to Cologne's Große Neugasse. Since then, there have been a total of 174 seats in the 94 m² auditorium (parquet and balcony), from which a view of the 35 m² stage falls. The foyer measures 50 m². In October 1987 the gay choir Triviatas performed here. The WDR recording from the new mustard pot of February 12, 1991 on the occasion of the 90th birthday of Cologne carnivalist Jupp Schmitz achieved cult status . New talents on the stage were Ingo Appelt , Missfits and Dieter Nuhr . The theater increasingly developed into a talent factory not only for the country's stages, but also for the media, from WDR to private television stations, which increasingly included comedy in their programs.
Stephan Masur has been producing his vaudeville spectacle since 2005 , with which the vaudeville division moves into the mustard pot for four weeks every year. Here, varied variety productions with young graduates from international circus schools and experienced artists with changing directors and choreographers are staged according to concepts by Stephan Masur.
On October 24, 2009, the WDR produced the television gala program “50 Years of Mustard Pot” in the Cologne Opera House, in which many of the former companions of this cabaret appeared. Alexandra Kassen ran Senftöpfchen-Theater GmbH in her charming and funny way until her death in June 2017 . One of her trademarks was her original hat, which she wore on almost every occasion. In addition to the opera and the theater, Cologne is now home to around 70 professional independent and private theaters, most of which are organized in the Kölner Theaterkonferenz eV , founded in 1979 , to which the mustard pot belongs.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Der Spiegel 46/1976 of November 8, 1976, Personalalien , p. 248
- ↑ Theo Burauen , Lord Mayor of Cologne, in 1964
- ↑ Alexandra Kassen quoted from the Aachener Zeitung of September 12, 2009, A Temple of Cabaret: Senftöpfchen turns 50
- ↑ Der Spiegel 6/1978 of February 6, 1978, Großer Bahnhof , p. 178 f.
- ↑ Imprint of the Cologne Theater