Figure and Sound in Space

No fear! The event is in no way as dry as its title suggests. The eighty minute performance gives full voice to its ingenious father Oskar Schlemmer immediately from the start . He is quoted by a young man in white shirt and black bow-tie, who poses as the Conferencier of an accident prone evening, repositioning himself in the ever disappearing spot light, angry with the ill functioning micro, but who has finally, however quite comfortably, directed a few Schlemmer sentences at the public (” One should be as impartial as possible!”). Hardly is he away, that six shapes in broad-shouldered padded leotards take his place . On a screen, over the figures, words and geometrical figures wander in short, calculated paths, over a pattern of white squares and diagonals painted on the stage. Their angular movements are accompanied by a noise and sound collage, which comes through several loudspeakers posted in front and behind the spectators. At intervals, one hisses sentence-scraps at each other, as if helpless and help-seeking. Then again two gabble in a completely incomprehensible fantasy-language or seem to elicit the strangest sounds from the ground through stamping . In the end all seven performers whirl through a round dance of briefly indicated roll-games, ranging from the shy flirt to vehement competition, from the clumsy put on to the snotty turn down. Particularly in such moments, the new production proves itself not only as original and ambitious but as unquestionably brilliant. The multinational ensemble convinces through precision in dance; the high technical level of the light – and sound mixing invite no less respect.

Rheinische Post

The Theater der Klaenge have named “Figur und Klang im Raum” their perfectly high tech production, with which they transported the premiere spectators into a vibrating sound-intoxication. The invisible electronic control system extends the natural volume of the human voice, and promotes a light – and sound show not to be outdone at technical perfection. Despite technology, the stunned human being asserts itself, discovered, just like a marionette which is awakened gradually to life. The seven protagonists are convincing particularly through their exquisite gestures and facial expressions.

Neue Rhein Zeitung

The technical so perfectly works and stands out again and again in its best moments, since the spectator may not believe in a continuous control through the actors themselves. But nevertheless the stage event captivates alone (…) and hope remains that someday the technical of a seemingly perfect city-theater production would take over and turn the evening into a real experience. Just like the witty, lively and self teasing eighty ” Figur und Klang im Raum ” minutes.

Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung

An engaged and happy to experiment ensemble was dutifully at work. TheTheater der Klaenge started off with its respect inspiring project exactly where Schlemmer left off with his attempts to create effects of sounds and noise, graphical symbols, language and music, due to his 1928 departure from the Bauhaus. That was no ready piece, rather a development process of a multimedia composition, that led with each performance to new artistic discoveries. Fascinating the contrapuntal interplay of light, music and scenes, in which each element acted autonomously and was still however part of the total in its aesthetic effect and relationship in space. It is worthwhile to further work on this admirable production, with its reprocessing and rediscovery of buried approaches.

ZeitPunkt