The 8th International Shadow Theater Festival
in Schwäbisch Gmünd, October, 12 - 17, 2009

Die Königin der Farben
Erfreuliches Theater, Deutschland
Franziskaner, Festsaal
50 min, ab 4 Jahre

With this interactive shadow play, which is loosely based upon Jutta Bauer's illustrated book, the Erfreuliche Theater tells the charmiing story of Queen Malwina and her subjects – the colours. All that is needed are a few paint brushes, a lot of paper, two glasses of water, a newly tuned piano, a court musician, a court artist and, of course, the colours. The result is a spectrum of characters and feelings which is both comical and sensitive.

The little Dragon
The Shadowmakers, USA
Theaterwerkstatt im Spital
50 min, ab 7 Jahre, language: englisch

Everyone makes fun of the little dragon – just because he is not very big and cannot even breathe fire. Despite this, however, he succeeds in saving the king and his people. An enchanting story which is lovingly acted out and both humorously and eloquently accompanied by a narrator full of charisma.

Pursuit
Marcelle Hudon, Kanada
Congress-Centrum Stadtgarten, Peter-Parler-Saal
70 min, adults, language: englisch

A reporter and a cameraman find they are drawn to renowned puppeteer Grödna Kirovograd's troubled personality. Bringing together masterly manipulators and inspired musicians, this poetic depiction makes use of various mediums such as puppets, shadow-theatre, live video performance, spoken words and new music to put forward the only too real power of fiction.

Bordtagebuch
L’ Asina sull’Isola, Italien
Kulturzentrum Prediger, Großer Saal
55 min, ab 10 Jahren, language: italienisch
including introduction

Shocking news about thirty refugees who were drowned at sea instead of reaching the Promised Land inspired L'Asina sull'Isola to narrate the adventures of a freighter filled with people.

Mama = Turm
Dalang Puppencompany, Schweiz
Franziskaner, Festsaal
55 min, ab 6 Jahre

When the seven-year-old Lilo was born, her mom and dad were as big as all other parents. But after they had an argument one night dad becomes very small and mum enormous! She is so big that she can no longer fit into the apartment and so leaves. „Mom=Tower“ is about longing and loneliness seen through the eyes of a young girl in whose existence proportions no longer add up. In a wonderful, loving and poetic way, with the help of shadow theatre, this story is brought to life.

Krabat
Das Theater-Pack, Schweiz
Theaterwerkstatt im Spital
80 min, ab 10 Jahre

Otfried Preussler's novel for young people „Krabat“ meaningfully presents to us the growing-up of a young person with all the enticements of black magic and hunger for power. At the same time, however, it shows the possibility of resisting these temptations through love , belief in yourself and in justice. For this thrilling and mysterious story the Theater-Pack utilises light and shadow to show the contrast between good and evil, the struggle between light and darkness. The result is a tantalising interpretation of this novel in which the music also plays a significant part.

Haiku
Controluce Teatro d’Ombre, Italien
Kulturzentrum Prediger, Großer Saal
45 min, ab 10 Jahren

The haiku is the shortest poetic form acknowledged as literature It describes one single discernible moment and through this opens the door to intuitive experience. Controluce show us in this production a completely different side of their creativity. In a combination of Japanese butho dancing, shadow theatre and video projection they bring eleven haikus to life with music and illustrations.

Das Geheimnis der Engel
Theater der Schatten, Deutschland
Theaterwerkstatt im Spital
45 min, ab 4 Jahre

If angels do exist, might it not be the case that these „creatures of light“ have to be born and wander through the world? To feel and to experience what there is to feel and to experience? This is the idea behind this play: an angel is born into our world of light and shadow, wanders through it and discovers what it means to be a human.

Platero und ich
Compagnia teatrale L’Asina sull’Isola, Italien
Franziskaner, Festsaal
55 min, ab 4 Jahre Sprache: deutsch

This play is based upon the enchanting book of the same name by the Spanish author Juan Ramon Jimenés. It tells of the intensive, lifelong friendship between the writer and his donkey, Platero, and of a childhood filled with colour and light. The production accommodates the fundamental themes and the skillful use of the techniques offered by shadow theatre accentuate the picturesque aspects of the story.

Aida
Controluce Teatro d’Ombre, Italien
Congress-Centrum Stadtgarten, Peter-Parler-Saal
80 min, ab 10 Jahre

With this new production of Verdi's „Aida“ Controluce continues its search for innovative methods of bringing opera on to the stage in a very special way. The production very closely follows the original story but the main focus is on the inner conflict between love and duty of the principal characters Aida and Radames. In a masterly way all of the possibilities of shadow theatre are utilised. Controluce employs silhouettes, full body shadows and landscapes conjured up by reflective surfaces.