Christmas comedy at the Weisses Wind: "The Messiah" with slapstick, heart and top stars
From November 1 through December 21, Weisse Wind will be staging the wonderfully chaotic Christmas comedy *Der Messias*. Directed by Markus Imboden, Siegmund Tischendorf, Roeland Wiesnekker, and Stephanie Szanto / Leila Pfister perform with great enthusiasm—the m&k team was there for the rehearsals.
Shortly before the premiere of «Der Messias»—a play about megalomania and failure—Anna Kohler and Beat Hürlimann, both from m&k, attended the rehearsals at Zurich’s iconic venue, Weisser Wind. We spoke with Markus Imboden and the friendly, laid-back cast: Siegmund Tischendorf (Theo), Roeland Wiesnekker (Bernhard), and Stephanie Szanto (Mrs. Timm). The m&k team was there. Tickets are available here.
Return to the Beloved Theater
For the renowned director Markus Imboden, who has made over 60 films, including hits such as The Indentured Boy (2011) and over 50 television movies, including episodes of Crime Scene, as is known, marks The Messiah a return to his roots in theater. In an interview, Imboden explained that he had always loved working in theater and that, for him, it is much more exciting today than the increasingly technical nature of film work.
Imboden emphasized that the play demands a lot from the actors, as it combines dramatic and comedic elements as well as slapstick. He sees the appeal of the comedy in the fact that it shows people—especially the two men in this play—in their „patheticness“ and is the opposite of heroic tales. The play’s humor works well because it’s based on the mishaps that happen to everyone in everyday life.
Chaos, Mishaps, and the Christmas Story
The Messiah is a Christmas comedy about two moderately talented actors and a singer with terrible timing who are trying to put on a production of the Christmas story. Theo (Siegmund Tischendorf) and Bernhard (Roeland Wiesnekker) have to play all the characters themselves—from the Archangel Gabriel to Mary and Joseph, right down to the shepherds and the Three Wise Men.
The experiment leads to numerous comical mishaps, ranging from slapstick to improvised scenes. One highlight is the humorous reenactment of the Nativity, performed by the two men. Their friend, the singer Ms. Timm, is to provide the musical accompaniment with Handel’s Messiah worries, but often arrives too late or has problems of its own.
Stephanie Szanto, who alternates with Leila Pfister in the role of Mrs. Timm, describes her character as someone who would love to be the „Grand Damm of the opera house“ but unfortunately fails. She plays this role with mischievous delight.
Teamwork with Top-Notch Professionals
The actors raved about the collaboration. Siegmund Tischendorf described working with the "top-class" Imboden as a "hell of a ride" that was great fun. Roeland Wiesnekker, who is returning to the stage after 20 years, emphasized that the play, which requires many "accidents" and improvisation, demands a great deal of trust in each other in order to be able to "improvise your way through".
Siegmund Tischendorf, known for his cult solo piece Caveman Since 2001, he has found it „wonderful“ to finally be working as part of a team again. He emphasized that the three of them could handle the evening together, and if one of them ever hit a rough patch, a colleague would step in. Tischendorf stressed: „We have to have fun too, so that we can then convey that fun on stage.“.
Although this is an independent production that receives no cultural funding, and coordinating the many props poses a challenge, the ensemble promises an evening full of British humor, affectionate irony, and humanity. The cast’s goal is to restage the comedy every year during the Christmas season—a „long-term strategy.“.
The Messiah celebrates the power and strength of imagination. Be there when the play opens on November 1. Quirky, biting, magical.
