The Comic Theatre of Signor Goldoni

For several years now, the Zurich director and actor Max Merker and the Bernese author and dramaturge Martin Bieri have formed a duo that combines comedy, slapstick, physical theatre and critical discourse in a very idiosyncratic way in a light-footed and entertaining way. At the Schauspiel von Konzert und Theater St. Gallen, which has been directed by Barbara-David Brüesch from Chur since 2023/24, they are now creating a new version of the play "The Servant of Two Masters" by Carlo Goldoni. The Chur Theatre is involved in this project.

The Commedia dell'arte – the "good old days" of impromptu theatre. No sentence was spoken on stage unless it was funny, the theatre characters of the Commedia could say and do what they wanted with great freedom. The audience came to the performances with a single goal: Divertimento! But then someone appeared who knew better: Carlo Goldoni, a lawyer of course, now wrote down his plays inspired by the Commedia dell'arte word for word – and demanded that the actors learn the texts by heart. Che scandalo! The most famous of these plays, which were new at the time, is "The Servant of Two Masters". But there are many more; even one called "The Comic Theatre". A promise. Screamingly funny and at the same time a wild struggle with the untamed unconscious of the stage: a big feast, a feast of disguise and play.