Torsten Krug /// director / singer / author

The Ötigheimer Volksschauspiele celebrated an inspiring premiere of this year's children's and family play "Puss in Boots". The more than 200-strong ensemble, led by the dazzling Lucy Schindele as Kater Kasimir, captivated the visitors on Saturday in the round of the Ötigheim natural stage.

Director Torsten Krug had come up with a few tricks for his first production of the folk drama in the well-known fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, so that the two hours flew by. The seven musicians played a particularly large part in this: Bernhard Bagger, Anna Bagger, Mattis Haberer, Florian Hug, Daniel Kessler, Michael Nold and Rudi Wild. They not only played music in different styles, but also always provided the right acoustic effects. So Kater Kasimir and Müllersohn Fridolin (Chase Tolbert) quickly succeeded in winning the children in the audience over to their side. Again and again the youngest visitors were involved in the events and gladly and spontaneously joined in - for example when the king (Kurt Tüg) had to sing a birthday song or to help Kasimir the cat to introduce the king to the alleged land of the miller's son Fridolin.

The Ötigheim version of Puss in Boots was particularly well received by the audience because there was always something to experience and discover on stage. In addition, the various roles were brilliantly cast. The queen (Sabine Speck) and especially the court marshal (Alexander Grünbacher) always had the laughs on their side. A scene with the three court chefs (Stefan Brkic, Colin Kraft and Florian Woll) is wonderful to watch, in which the young chef wanted to garnish all the dishes with enough ketchup, much to the delight of the audience. (...)

The magician Manipulu, brilliantly played by Julian Baumstark, is Kater Kasimir's ingenious opponent. He gathers more than 50 little mice from the children's dance group of the Volksschauspiele under the direction of Julia Krug and leaves amazed children's eyes when he turns the king's guards (Christoph Dettling, Michael Enderle, Michael Patzelt and Siegfried Peter) into pillars of salt. In the end Kasimir the cat also manages to end the magic curse of Manipulu, as he manages to turn the magician himself into a little mouse. Now his entourage is also free and the children can happily return to their parents. This results in an opulent final picture in which, in the Ötigheimer manner, of course some horses should not be missing. The audience is enthusiastic and applauds for a long time. The main actors are already sitting behind a counter, busy giving autographs and are available for photos. This is not only well received by the many children but also by the adults.

This year's children's play by the Ötigheimer Volksschauspiele celebrated its premiere on Saturday in front of almost sold-out seats. It's a happy spectacle with lots of music, dancing, singing and some special effects, which is fun not only for the little ones but also for the big ones. The well-known story is told, which was already told by the Brothers Grimm, which was first shown on the Ötigheim open-air stage in 1995 and which Torsten Krug has now refreshed for 2019 and made suitable for the stage. Chase Tolbert plays the miller's son Fridolin, who is at the beginning of the story; and the 20-year-old Ötigheimer masters his first leading role in the folk drama with flying colors. (...) Lucy Schindele, who already gave Heidi in Ötigheim, plays the talking four-legged friend with a lot of passion and inspires the audience. Kater Kasimir, the witty one, slips into leather boots, doublet and feather hat and with luck and cunning wins the trust of the somewhat goofy king (Kurt Tüg) together with his over-crazy wife (Sabine Speck) and his spoiled little daughter (Madeleine Kühn). The king is generous, opens the gold casket and even believes the cat's story that his master is not a ragged miller's son, but Count Groß-Fridolin von Schwindel-Flunkerhausen. Wealth and the king's favor for Fridolin and Kasimir, the story could actually be over here. If it weren't for the malicious magician Manipulu (excellent: Julian Baumstark), who loves the big entrance, torments the people like the king and is the real antagonist of the cunning tomcat. The magician wants to snatch his land and riches from the king, but the tomcat has other things in mind - it comes to a big showdown with lots of smoke, spouting water fountains, tension and drama. It's great fun for the audience (...).

The cat triumphs, tricks the evil Manipulu into turning himself into a mouse, and then finishes off the rodent. All's well that ends well? Nearly. After all, the happy ending is also based on the lie of Count Schwindel-Flunkerhausen. Frdiolin takes heart and confesses the swindle to the king - and is still rewarded with a place in the royal castle and the hand of the princess. Now it is truly done, evil defeated, good won - and the audience rises to enthusiastic applause.

The magic is over. In the end, standing applause is the reward for the great participants, who were happy to give autographs at the exit.