The Donzdorf Blog

Cheap razors

Always a careful chap, I took pains to ensure that preparations for the expedition were properly economic. Accordingly I bought a big pack of pound shop razors.
Come Sunday I strode to the bathroom to shave. The damn things turned out to be “Marqis de Sade” brand. They work by ploughing off the top millimeter or two of flesh, leaving a mottled trail of gore all over the chin. Interestingly, the stubble stands proud though the raw mince on the face.
On Monday I went to the apotheker. In a conversation worthy of the Two Ronnies at their best (F U N E X?) I explained that I needed a razor. “Ich möchte kaufen ein … what’s the damn word .. (makes razoring action and displays chin) . Lady apotheker looks at ravaged face and budtles into the back room, hunting in lots of little drawers .. bustles back with a big tube of furderappallingenfaceleprosyundskindiseasestuff . I eventually explain that it’s my razor that’s at fault, not some exotic illness. She points me in the direction of the drug store where they sell them, with an air of sympathy appropriate to the serving of those lacking in social skills.
Calum later takes the wretched things and shaves impeccably.

On performing outdoors

Interesting … although the official permissions were all obtained, there hadn’t been a lot of pre-publicity. We marched into Schwäbisch Gmünd to find an excellent performing area. Fantastic acoustics in a pedestrianised market place with acres of cobbled space surrounded by lovely old architecture. Reminded me of Prague Old Town Square without the crowds. Despite threatening weather, we gave an energetic show, free from any sign of a crowd. Passing policemen and casual shoppers stopped and were duly amused. Gerhart produced an old fashioned speaking trumpet and broadcast news of the festival to the surrounding cafes and shops.

In Donzdorf on Monday afternoon we did it to the traffic, a couple of kids and the traffic. Plus a Turkish guy who was waiting for his friend to answer the doorbell, and the traffic and several local residents who came out on their balconies, together with the traffic and a family of little kids all with their noses pressed against their bedroom window. One first - I have never before marched through town hall offices playing the squeezebox.

Stuttgart city centre was similarly surreal. Kudos goes to the chap in the neat suit who appeared to tell us not to touch his statue. It’s a rather large collection of brightly painted welding, about 25 feet high and indestructible except with tactical nuclear weaponry. It stands unfenced in the city plaza. Nevertheless it is utterly forbidden to lean Cecil on it. Or touch it with any artifact, item of clothing or musical device. I swear the man had a clipboard. Jacqui had her revenge by giving it a kick.
The show was good – lots of passing interest, people staying for five minutes and moving on, photos flashing. Proper street theatre. Our fighters distinguished themselves and I noticed that the Turkish audience laughed like drains when the Turkish Knight appeared. They do have a fine sense of humour.

Göppingen is a lovely place except when wet. Beset by fierce female librarians who are certain that opening their street umbrella is a transportable offence, the crew busked in the drizzle. To Gerhart’s disappointment we declined to do the show, on the grounds that the last time we did it in less than ideal conditions (in Hockhousen) Michael broke his wrist, and that wet limestone isn’t a real good place for a swordfight. After the visit the Venerable Injectorer went missing. If anyone in Goppingen has seen a cross between an exhaust pipe and a flit spray with flames painted on it, please contact W. X. Suggers, post restante, Buenos Aires quoting “department IJ07L”

By Geislingen we were into our stride. A cosy corner in the busy market street, a bit of sunshine at last and a decent crowd. A couple of Turkish youths were most impressed with Jen’s dance. Like snakes mesmerized by a mongoose …... Copies of the Stuttgarter Zeitung appeared with a nice big picture of Jen, Mikey & Monica and a decent article on the festival. Job done!

Donzdorf again, on market day as a finale. By this time the festival was in progress so we had Czech musical support (why is that accordionist in EVERY picture ?) and an audience of bemused shoppers and experienced festival actors. The sun shone. Up in the rathaus the sage burghers of the Donzdorf Council Arts Committee were deliberating on the festival and plans for 2010. Every time they got to a serious point of finance or order cries of “Doktor Doktor” broke from the crowd downstairs. As in “now .. the catering arrangements ... item 7 on your agenda Gentlemen ..” Cries of “Mince pies HOT, Mince Pies COLD!” from the courtyard … Copies of Friday’s Geislinger Zeitung were passed about. Another decent sized report and a rather good crit, I thought. Jacqui won free strawberries from the fruit stall as a thank you. Job done twice.

Furriners

The great thing about an international festival is that it’s jam packed with foreigners. Interesting chaps. Language isn’t that much of a problem, although it’s difficult to express complex ideas in mime and interpreters are kept very busy. The Donzdorf festival isn’t a competition, but each group is “judged” at a morning debrief with comment from the organizers and the floor. Discussion can be wide-ranging but the moderators are rather good at pulling back to the central themes when they need to. The Chinese, for example were taken to task for isolating their actors from the main body of the festival in true old-fashioned communist style. Excuses were provided on grounds of language and cultural difference, and they did eventually mingle at the farewell event.

Das Apotheker

Well, we got a rather larger audience than the combined total in Harlow and the crits were better! The Stadthalle is a modern theatre and civic space, so all the flies & bars are flown, the control room is a decent glazed cockpit on a small mezzanine and there’s a nice big pros stage. On the cons side, seating is unraked chairs and it’s anything but intimate. Happily there is an intimate venue next door, more cramped but close to the action. We used the Stadthalle.

Lighting complemented Rosie’s costumes to produce a Rembrandt feel. The multi-lingual introduction coupled with our measured delivery meant that everybody understood. I’m too modest to comment on acting quality, but we did get compliments – and a clap in the Theatre Café – afterwards. What is clear is that we have upheld the honour of Moot House. I would not be at all surprised if further invitations appear.

An explanation

We went to Donzdorf in May 2007, at the invitation of the festival organizers and with two tasks. Firstly to do street theatre to advertise the festival proper. Secondly to take a piece of theatre suitable for the main house. Campton’s “The Laboratory” seemed ideal material and the MHP performance week slotted neatly into the festival dates.
We did the Mummer’s play on set-up Sunday, a week of rehearsals and performances of the three Campton one-act-ers finishing Saturday, drove or flew (as appropriate) to Donzdorf on Sunday for mumming on Monday morning – six outdoor appearances (5 full shows) and the Campton on Saturday in the Stadthalle theatre, to a well attended festival audience. A rather full fortnight.
In between we got to see quite a lot of other people’s shows, including Chinese mime, Czech farce, Italian circus skills, sheer brilliance in straight acting from Austria .. and more. See http://www.aktionstheater.de/festivals/2007/2007_programm.htm for an outline. The Moroccans failed in their request for visas and could not attend, a reflection of the purely bureaucratic terror surrounding the real issues of international security. I think the whole festival drew their own conclusions about EC regulations and relative freedoms from this.
After hours the “band” jammed in the festival café and much German and Czech beer was put beyond use. Friendships were renewed and made and a Splendid Time had by all.

We … are an amalgam of Moot House Players, Beerfordbury Mummers (closely related to Stortfolk Music Club) and HITE – formed originally for the international exchange in 1998 and taking tours to Australia, Germany and Austria in the intervening years. Details are on the folk club site http://beerfordbury.com - scroll down and follow the link to the Beerfordbury Bugle. There’s a specific page at http://www.beerfordbury.co.uk/HITE/Donzdorf2007.htm for the 2007 Donzdorf trip.