Culture
De Chli Isbär: a musical for the entire family
From famous children’s book, TV series and movie, Lars, the little Polar Bear is now everyone’s friend in the musical at the Bernhard Theater in Zurich
De chli Isbaer poster-copyright Christian Knecht, vasistas graphique
Wow! What an amazing performance the actors gave the day before the Premiere of “De Chli Isbär”!
Both parents and children left the room with happy faces at the end of the 100 minute show. Many day-care and school children had been invited to watch the musical.
The director and his team, sitting nearby, looked content about what was happening on the stage. Markus Buehlmann, the director, filmed the show while the others took notes. He told me he liked the show “it ran smoothly, the audience reacted as hoped”.
It was in two acts only interrupted by a 20 minute break so that the children could drink and eat.
If you are not familiar with the Bernhard Theater, it is a part of the Zurich Opera House in the building just next to it. When you enter the room, you will see 72 tables with a number and around them five red comfortable chairs.
actors of the Chli Isbaer on the stage -copyright Christian Knecht, vasistas graphique
It is in a relaxed atmosphere that the show started after the voice of the small Polar Bear, Lars, asked people not to take photos and turn off mobile phones. After two rings the room got darker and the first stage set came alive: three beautiful icebergs with a dark sky and a little smoke came on the stage. It even felt cooler in the room.
The ten songs in the musical were written by the famous musician and song writer, Marius Tschirky. Sometimes a solo, a duo or even with the entire group, all songs were warmly welcomed by the crowd, who at the end asked for more.
The lighting of the stage was excellent. The colors of the icebergs during the entire show changed sometime dark, pale or shining going from blue, orange to green. The sound effects from the music director and arrangeur, Hansjoerg Roemer, and song writer, Markus Tschirky, were brilliant with great wave sounds, water dropping, storm and lightning.
Director of "De Chli Isbär",Markus Buehlmann - copyright Markus Buehlmann
While it was the first time for Markus Buehlmann to direct at the Bernhard Theater, it was not his first time there. He worked at the theater in 2004 when he choreographed the musical “Hanf in Glück” and before as an actor in the “Hotel Happy End”.
Markus Buehlmann is far from being a beginner. He started his career in the 1980’s as a ballet dancer. Then from 1993-2010, he acted in various musicals such as “Evita”, “Chicago”, “Grease” in Switzerland and Germany. He performed many times at the Theater des Westens in Berlin. He also worked as a director from 2003 in famous musicals such as “Bloodbrothers” and “Calling Doris”. He has been a choreographer of musicals, operettas and revues since 1992. In recent years he worked on “Ewigi Liebi” and “Heidi” (2007).
“De Chli Isbär” director started working on the musical about six months ago. He had meetings with all designers (costume, stage and mask) while he was preparing Lars. Rehearsing with everyone only started seven weeks before the first show. The actors had to work with him six days a week about 9 to 10 hours a day, said Markus.
Katrin Künding, the costume designer, told me that it took long hours to make all the costumes. She designed beautiful costumes for the crew. Some were quite colorful like for the parrots and the octopus. It was her second time watching the show and she was happy with it, saying they not only make it appealing for the children but for the parents as well.
Chli Isbaer - Nemo - copyright Christian Knecht, vasistas graphique
During the entire show the actors always tried to keep the chidlren’s attention with comedy or asked them to participate in screaming out names and for things.
The musical shows how important friendship and family relations are in life. The first song says it all “Es ist einfach wenn man Freunde hat” (it is easier when one has friends).
But who is Lars?
He is a small Polar Bear from the North Pole. He wants to travel the world and he meets friends like Robby, the sea lion, a hippo, but also parrots and Lena another bear. So Lars leaves home and his parents for an adventure.
The books of Lars, a series written by Dutch writer Hans de Beer, are so popular that they have been translated into 18 languages. After the first Lars’ book in 1987, followed a TV series before it came to the movie theaters with two films in the 2000’s. It was a real success. Writer, Kamil Krejčí, adapted the book to the stage.
While Kamil Krejčí and Markus Buehlmann didn’t actually work much together, the combination of Kamil Krejčí ‘s brillant adaptation and Markus Buehlmann’s “artistic ideas as director and choreographer with the stage and costume designer and the make up department” helped making “De Chli Isbär” a real success.
Chli_Isbaer_Lena_Lars_Pieps - copyright Christian Knecht, vasistas graphique
In the musical, Lars is played by actor Stephan Luethy. His performance is outstanding. Markus Buehlmann and his main actor have a good relationship as Markus explained to me. “It is always easy to work with him. He is a fantastic performer”. Actually Markus has known him for years as Stephan was his student at the Swiss Musical Academy.
“De Chli Isbär” will be shown at the Bernhard Theater until January 25th, 2012. Then it will go on tour in Switzerland through May. The current adaptation of “De Chli Isbär” is shown in the Swiss German language. The team of the musical is already planning to have it in French and Italian but it won’t be before 2013.
If you are interested in bringing your children, tickets are CHF 33,00 for adults and CHF 27,00 for children. Age recommended is 3 years and above. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bernhardtheater.ch and directly at the theater. It is sponsored by Coop and Jamadu. All the children received a small Jamadu monkey while leaving the theater on Tuesday.
Gigs4Kids produces “De Chi Isbär” and has been over the years was very successful with the musical “Jungle Book”, which will come back in December 2012. They are also finishing their tour with “Jim Knopf” in Switzerland. If you missed it in Zurich, the musical will be in Lucerne on November 13th and finally on November 18th in Bern.
For more information, visit the homepage www.gigs4kids.ch.
Have a great time with Lars, the little Polar Bear!
