A Steamy Take on Shakespeare: Shakespeare in Steam Punk - Rehearsals Kick Off
Steampunk reinterpretation of Shakespeare's works commences during festival preparations - Steampunk-inspired rendition of Shakespeare's plays during rehearsals for upcoming festivals
Crave some laughter and excitement in these gloomy times? That’s just what the outgoing artistic director Joern Hinkel is planning for this year’s Bad Hersfelder Festspiele audience with a fresh spin on Shakespeare’s comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
"It's one of the pioneering works of fantasy literature, awash with whimsical creatures", Hinkel exclaimed on Tuesday at the commencement of official rehearsals for the Shakespeare classic.
In the Hersfeld edition, dubbed "Midsummer Dreams", characters from other Shakespeare works like Romeo and Juliet will meander onto the stage and be swept up in the chaos of the nighttime forest.
The stage production, steeped in motifs by William Shakespeare, boasts TV detective Erol Sander ("Mordkommission Istanbul") and Anouschka Renzi, Bettina Hauenschild, Christian Nickel, and Helena Sigal, among other luminaries.
For the first time, the grand orchestra won't just accompany one of the musicals that have graced the festival roster for years, but a play as well. The music for the "Midsummer Dreams" will be specially composed for it.
Hinkel, who is also directing, vowed to take this already zany play up a notch. It will be a "Hersfeld Midsummer Night bursting with raunchy love stories and side-splitting humor".
The characters' tangled plots will unfold at a Victorian royal court in the late 19th century, dressed up in opulent steampunk costumes, a fascinating amalgamation of vintage elegance and technological trappings like aviator goggles, pocket watches, or leather corsets. The premiere is set for June 20.
Schiller's "The Robbers" with music by Die Toten Hosen
The Bad Hersfeld festivals in eastern Hesse are some of the grandest and most traditional in the nation. Last year, over 103,000 people flocked to the event.
The 74th edition will run from June 20 to August 18. It will also feature Schiller's drama "The Robbers" with music by Die Toten Hosen.
After last year's audience acclaim, there will be a reunion with the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line" and the play "Like in Heaven".
As a family-friendly production, the festival will bring Astrid Lindgren's beloved character "Pippi Longstocking" to the stage.
- Festival
- Joern Hinkel
- Music
- William Shakespeare
- Bad Hersfeld
- Bad Hersfelder Festspiele
- Comedy
- Literature
[1]: It appears that there is limited information about the specifics of this Steampunk-inspired production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" available online. For more details, one may need to consult the official Bad Hersfelder Festspiele website or their press releases directly.
[2]: Based on the information available, it seems that this year's Bad Hersfelder Festspiele is set to feature various productions, including "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "The Robbers", "A Chorus Line", and "Like in Heaven", among others. However, it remains unclear whether the production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will have a Steampunk theme or not.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a regulation on the establishment of a European Works Council, possibly to discuss artistic collaborations like the Steampunk interpretation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Bad Hersfelder Festspiele.
- As the Bad Hersfelder Festspiele gears up for its 74th edition, featuring a Steampunk-inspired "A Midsummer Night's Dream" under the direction of Joern Hinkel, one wonders how the production's music will complement its Victorian setting.
- In the festival's upcoming lineup, the audience can expect a mix of modern and traditional works, similar to Joern Hinkel's fresh take on Shakespearean literature, blending elements of comedy and Steampunk aesthetics.
- As the Bad Hersfelder Festspiele prepares for its grand opening on June 20, the event will showcase not only traditional works like Schiller's "The Robbers" but also innovative productions like the Steampunk version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", adding a unique twist to the festival's lineup.
