The Wild Stage
Feature Film
Germany, 1993
16 mm
60 min
Color
Optical Sound
ARTE TV
5. 25. 1993

Crew

Buch und Regie
Ula Stöckl
Kamera
Julia Kuhnert
Kamerassistenz
Jutta von Stieglitz
Ton
Michael Hemmerling,
Marc Zeunert,
Alex Jost

Licht
Frank Wagner
Aufnahmeleitung
Volkmar Umlauft
Schnitt
Monika Schindler
Schnittassistenz
Marlies Gurschke
Texte
Walter Mehring,
Joachim Ringelnatz,
Marcellus Schiffer,
Kurt Tucholsky

Musik
Florian Appl,
Helmut Nünning,
Marcello Castronari

Mitarbeit
Elisabeth Trehard
Produktion
Ula Stöckl Filmproduktion von ZDF/ARTE
Redaktion
Martina Schwindenhammer

Cast

Trude Hesterberg
Maria Fremmer
Margo Lion,
Ihre Garderobiere

Sabine Rieck
Schäffer, Straßenkehrer
Detlev Winterberg
Mehring, Reichswehr,
Herr in Ledermantel, Stehende, Kriechende Gestalten

Helmut Nünning
Brecht
Markus Jeroch
Graetz,
Inspizient, Straßenkehrer, Stehende, Kriechende Gestalten, Kommunisten, Sozialisten,
Rechte,
Linke,
Potsdam,
Herr in Ledermantel

Martin van Bracht
Stehende, Kriechende Gestalten, Stenotypistin,
Kate Kühl

Beatrice Tillmann
Stehende, Kriechende Gestalten, Kommunisten, Sozialisten,
Rechte,
Linke, Trapezkünstler

Eric Müller
Stehende, Kriechende Gestalten,
Jongleur

Ramon Fernandez
Ebert,
Tucholsky

Christof Janz
Ringelnatz, Straßenkehrer, Linker,
Rechter,
Krüppel

Florian Appl

to top

Contents

How did Trude Hesterberg manage to scrape together the funds necessary to set up her own Cabaret? To earn her living she sang the title role of the Operetta "The Merry Widow" by Franz Lehar. She commuted every day between the Metropol Theatre in Friedrichstrasse and her cellar theatre at Theater des Westens. Her partners were, amongst other people, Kurt Tucholsky, Walter Mehring, Klabund and Joachim Ringelnatz. She gave Bert Brecht his first break on a Berlin stage. She discovered the performer Kate Kühl.

Famous actors, such as Kurt Gerron, also acted for her. In the film "The Wild Stage" the acrobats and musicians of the GOSH circus, a well-known group of artists, transform themselves into the protagonists of the time. They portray the characters of Trude Hesterberg, Walter Mehring, Kurt Tucholsky and Joachim Ringelnatz, singing their songs and reciting their literary work.

Also featured are the president of the Reich Friedrich Ebert, a leader of the Black Brigade, supporters of the "Reds" and Nazi representatives. As beggars, prostitutes, cripples and loiterers on the street, they attempt to sketch a picture of the Weimar Republic.

to top
Trude Hesterberg, actress, singer and cabaret artist founded the cabaret "The Wild Stage" in 1921. She managed it until 1923 when it burned down.