Yesterday we traveled back into the history of Japan and the samurai. We learned that these mystical warriors had a special appreciation for the fine arts and loved the theater. Today, there are many beautiful theaters in Berlin. However, one stands out from all of them, the Friedrichstadt-Palast which is now presenting its new show FALLING | IN LOVE.
A QUICK FLASHBACK
Let’s go back to history again but to the recent one, more precisely, to the time of the GDR. For the government then, the Friedrichstadt-Palast was a prestige object of socialism.
But for the people, it was the gateway to the West, a place of dreams. Anyone who could get a ticket for the shows traveled into a world full of glamor and beauty that seemed very far from reality even if it was just for a few hours.
Back then, people fell in love with the enchanting, seductive dancers who were not only big stars in the GDR, but who thrilled people all over the world. They appeared like goddesses, like beings from another world, full of beauty, grace, emotions, and style.
FALLING | IN LOVE – MADE TO DAZZLE BY SWAROVSKI
In 2019 we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Friedrichstadt-Palast. To this day, the house stands for special splendor and superlative shows. Of course, the new Grand Show, FALLING | IN LOVE, also belongs to them. It celebrated its premiere in October.
And, FALLING | IN LOVE is literally dazzling. Because 100,000,000 Swarovski crystals make the Friedrichstadt-Palast sparkle. No doubt, that’s a new world record. There’s never been such a rush of crystals like this before, either in a film or on stage. Besides, one of the 100,000,000 crystals is the largest cut Swarovski crystal in the world and weighs a whopping 180 kilograms.
THE STORY IN BRIEF
The lead character in the new Grand Show is You, a young, deaf poet. You feel misunderstood and only want to sink into the ground. The asphalt of civilization does indeed then break open beneath him and he falls into the slumbering Garden of Love.
In the Grand Show FALLING | IN LOVE we can see if You will ultimately find the words to make beauty and love blossom in our world again in all their colors.
THE MEANING OF FALLING | IN LOVE
As the director, Dr. Berndt Schmidt, explains, the vertical bar in the title has a crucial meaning. Because it’s not just about falling in love. It’s also about falling itself. We are living through a time in which all security and habits are being thrown out the window. Wars and crises dominate our lives. And yet, there are glimmers of hope. Moreover, if we just believe in it, we won’t fall into the dark, but we are falling in love again.
FALLING IN LOVE WITH JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
The Grand Show is curated by Parisian star designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Not only did he design costumes himself, but he also brought in two up-and-coming design teams to work alongside him, namely Fecal Matter and Sasha Frolova. Furthermore, as Visual Art Director, he contributed his aesthetic vision to the stage design. He says:
The Palast is a theater of superlatives. It is an honor and at the same time a great pleasure for me to once again work with the fantastic ensemble and creative team – as costume designer, curator, and visual design director for the world’s biggest theater stage.
You can see FALLING | IN LOVE from Tuesday to Sunday. Tickets start at just 19.80 euros.
Text & Images: Marco Kokkot
Portraits: Friedrichstadt-Palast. All Rights Reserved.