Theater prize “Der Faust” awarded – culture

German theater and glamor – they don’t really go together. Celebrating yourself, having fun and sparkling at the same time has always been difficult for the industry. After all, you play on the boards that mean the difficult world – and not the red carpet. What tedious, self-confessedly demure award ceremonies and anniversary celebrations have we not been through? Even at German Theater Prize “Der Faust”which is a kind of counterpart to “Lola”, the German film prize, the glamor and party factor has been rather meager so far.

Now, after a two-year Corona break with only digital awards, a “Faust” gala went on stage for the first time in the sensationally renovated Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus – and lo and behold: suddenly it worked. The format looked different. The theater people too. It was, as the director Andreas Kriegenburg said at the subsequent celebration in the foyer, which was flooded with sparkling disco ball lights, “the most enjoyable, cheerful, most entertaining, but also the most professional Faust award ceremony in recent years”. Yes that was it. Achim Freyer was also impressed by the “wonderful performance that I would never have expected”. The 88-year-old director, stage designer and painter, once a master student of Bertolt Brecht, was honored with the “Faust” for his life’s work. The theater director and dramaturg Nele Hertling, who was the same age, reviewed the 70 years of his artistic work in her friendly eulogy, and then everyone in the hall stood up and applauded the great master, who in his black robe and white shaggy beard looked like a kind judge. “Art is struggle is necessity is love” is his creed.

In addition to the ambience of the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, its star, the actor and director André Kaczmarczyk, also made a significant contribution to the success of this joyful and atmospheric gala. In the revue stage design of his recently released “Cabaret” production, he led through the evening as a moderator, in the lascivious outfit and gesture of that gender-fluid “Kit Kat Club” entertainer, who he also plays himself in the musical. “Welcome!” With the famous “Cabaret” song, the charismatic Kaczmarczyk welcomed the “ladies and gentlemen and everyone in between”.

Carsten Brosda, the Hamburg Senator for Culture and Media, also demonstrated entertainer qualities as a speaker and as a moderator in between could be than it is”. The fact that the new North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Culture Ina Brandes (CDU) did not appear in person, but only sent a video greeting, was met with criticism and ridicule, which she was able to make up for by promising more money for culture.

The “Faust” is a prize from the ranks of the theater itself. It has been awarded since 2006 by the German Theater Association in cooperation with the federal states, the cultural foundation of the states and the German Academy of Performing Arts. All theaters can make suggestions, and then there are several committees and a final jury that decides on the nominations and ultimately on the award winners. A lot of things are also based on proportional representation; then who would have to come first and then. It is important that the theater is visible in all its complexity – the independent scene is now also included.

Open detailed view

The “Faust” has never been as diversified as this year. In addition to the lifetime achievement award, it was awarded in thirteen other categories, many of which were newly introduced, such as the award for “Sound and Media” (to Paul Hankinson and Jonas Holle for the music in Christopher Rüping’s production of “The New Life” at the Bochum theater ). Or the category “Genre Springer” (to Bernhard Herbordt and Melanie Mohren for “Das Schaudepot” in cooperation with Theater Rampe Stuttgart). The furious Lina Beckmann, who has already received the highest honors, such as the Gertrud-Eysoldt-Ring 2022, in the title role of “Richard the Kid & the King” at the Hamburger Schauspielhaus, once again won the prize as “Actor: in Drama”. . The prize for the best acting direction went to Jette Steckel for “The Lack of Light”, Thalia Theater Hamburg. In the music theater category, Florian Lutz, the new director of the Kassel State Theater, was honored for his production of “Wozzeck” there and the singer Marlis Petersen for her Emilia Marty in “The Makropulos Case” (Berlin State Opera). In the category “Theater for Young Audiences” the prize went to Liesbeth Coltof and her ensemble for “Miroloi” (Young DT Berlin), in the category “Space” to Katja Haß for “The Dreams of the Absent” at the Munich Residenztheater.

Many moving moments. Brazilian-born Adriana Braga Peretzki, awarded in the “Costume” category (for Frank Castorf’s “Molière” in Cologne), pointed out that she started out as a dresser and that such a path “is not a matter of course for someone like me”. The performance of the 81-year-old, unbelievably girly Beatrice Cordua, who won in the “Actor:in Dance” category (she acts naked in Florentina Holzinger’s “A Divine Comedy”), was also very touching: “I’ve been hobbling and kicking all my life and loved it.” Unfortunately, the evening went at a hog’s gallop, so that the film excerpts from the nominated productions were far too short, “fuzzy”, as Lina Beckmann rightly regretted. The teasers have whetted our appetite and made us curious. The mood only clouded over when Eidin Jalali, honored for “The Sorrows of Young Azzlack” at the Leipzig Theater (category “Actor: in Theater for Young Audiences”) referred to the situation in Iran – and called on the theater to “media-effective protest actions”. . It should come out of its “bubble” and its values ​​​​proclaimed on stage “follow actions”. He got a lot of dutiful applause for it. But it was also okay that there was a lot of partying afterwards. Joy gives strength. And the theater will need them.