Press coverage:
Grandiose "Tröbinger Figurentheater" | Revitalizing Ballads
Kronen Zeitung OÖ | 27-09-2019 | E. Rathenböck | PDF
Many have struggled through Schiller's "Die Bürgschaft" and Goethe's "Der Zauberlehrling" in school. These classic ballads provided pure pleasure at the premiere of "Walle, walle manche Strecke ... " at Linz's Kuddelmuddel! Gerti and Maximilian Tröbinger deliver a stellar performance of puppetry.
On stage: a folding screen and a manageable amount of props, along with marionettes of various sizes, a video camera, and two puppeteers who know all the tricks.
Gerti Tröbinger and her son Maximilian, who studied the art of puppetry in Berlin, create entertaining shortcuts from classic ballads in "Walle, walle manche Strecke ... " They conjure knights and lions onto the stage, make sailors weep, have friends vouch for each other, let giant girls play with tiny people, and make lazy apprentices perform magic.
They have trimmed the classic language to find a balance between linguistic aesthetics and action-packed play that never loses a moment of suspense. The recommendation "for a young audience from six years old to infinity" holds true: it's a must-see for young and old alike!
Puppetry That Breathes New Life into Classics
Oberösterreichisches Volksblatt | 27-09-2019 | Astrid Braun | PDF
"Walle, walle manche Strecke – Duo Tröbinger makes "heavy reading" easy peasy.
A theater full of primary school children, and on stage, literary classics from Schiller to Fontane to Goethe. Could it possibly be a success? Far from it! What Gerti Tröbinger and her son Maximilian present here for the first time as a duo can safely be called great art. Quality that captivates even the youngest audience members. In the play "Walle, walle manche Strecke..." (for ages 6 and up; directed by Annika Pilstl), which premiered yesterday at the Kuddelmuddel Children's Cultural Center in Linz, the Tröbinger duo brings to life the ballads "Der Handschuh" (The Glove), "John Maynard," "Die Bürgschaft" (The Guarantee), "Das Riesenspielzeug" (The Giant's Plaything), and "Der Zauberlehrling" (The Sorcerer's Apprentice) with their puppets.
There are ventriloquist puppets – Maximilian Tröbinger holds one in each hand, moving their mouths while simultaneously portraying the king himself. Gerti Tröbinger lends them her hands, making them expressive and lively with her gestures. Then there are the glove puppets: a small wooden head on a finger, a glove as a body, little feet, and sensitive finger movements. There is also great amazement when the puppets appear in shadow play or when a tiny city becomes a thrilling scene through a video camera. Difficult words are explained, humor plays a significant role. The transitions between the pieces are seamless.
The children follow the emotional journey: the invisible lion's claws tear through the paper, a fire breaks out on Maynard's ship, smoke rises, cardboard flames flicker, death brings silence, and the knife in "Die Bürgschaft" causes shock. Yet the means used are always simple. A large revolving stage? Not necessary. The device with jute covering handles everything. In the end, the circle closes: "And now, it's over!" There is a lot of applause! Worth seeing for adults too!!