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Ethan Freeman, Hass and the original production of Elisabeth

Recently, @behindthemirrorofmusic shared an interview clip from her radio show with me (thank you so much!). In it, Ethan Freeman (original Lucheni) talks about, among other things, Hass and the criticism the number has gotten over the years.

Dannii: Several Jewish fans of the show have said it's a rather triggering song and makes them feel uncomfortable - making them feel that Lucheni is turning against them. Did you think about that or does this raise any feelings in you? Ethan: Ah, no. Lucheni is a cynic, but he certainly did not ally himself with the fascistic transition that happens in the course of that number, as it begins to look into the future and towards the growing demonization of Jews in the Elisabethan world moving towards the period of the Nazis. Again, as Che is with the Peronistic fascism [in Evita], Lucheni looks at it with bitter cynicism. I can see people being uncomfortable, but the scene and the number were designed to make everybody uncomfortable [laughs]. And the Austrian audience, who at the time had to - and perhaps to a bigger extent even now still has to - deal with its fascist and antisemitic past... That number was always met with a kind of deathly, breathless silence. Sometimes applause at the end, but first it was always this reaction of "[gasp] This was us!". And that's what the number was there for. Obviously, Harry Kupfer, the director, was a tremendous antifascist, and so he directed the number to hit very hard. I remember we performed the show [one night] and Jörg Haider, the leader of the ultra-right party in Austria at the time was in the audience of the show - and he walked out after the number! I knew I had done my job when I heard he had walked out. Because the number points a finger at exactly the kind of ideology he seemed to purvey. So... As a Jewish person myself, I want to show the world its ugly reflection. If it made me uncomfortable in any sense, watching the Jewish character getting beaten up in that scene, it's because it's supposed to make people feel - "oh, this is not good". I think good theatre is for people with strong stomachs, and if people are extremely sensitive to that sort of thing, then they have to figure out how to deal with it. I don't think for any reason that that [scene] should not be in the show. Because it was a reflection of the history of that time - but not only that time, obviously.

(Interview by Dannii Cohen, September 10, 2023. Emphasis mine. Transcribed from the first episode of the new series of Behind the Mirror of Music. Source)

#THIS #elisabeth das musical #Hass is such an inportant number for this exact reason #and we need it being included and being staged in a horrifying way in today's world more than ever

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This is not a drill, we have the first pictures of setpieces for DJKT's Dracula and oh my god, I'm in love already. Dave Benson just never misses in his DJKT collabs, doesn't he?

#djkt #djkt dracula #love love love #I can already tell this production will be so amazing

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No thoughts today, just this photo of Pavel Klimenda that is the perfect reaction image to literally any situation (which is a real actual promo photo that was used for Orlando)

#djkt #djkt orlando #pavel klimenda

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One year ago, I travelled to Pilsen for the first time to see Elisabeth das musical. Little did I know that I wouldn't fall in love with just the show, but the DJKT company itself

9 shows and 2 matinees later and I have tickets for two other shows already bought

It has been such a beautiful year majorly thanks to these people <3

#djkt

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The Tumblr as algorhythm saw me posting about JCS, so they changed their targeted ads 😭😅

#txt #adri rambles

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I can't keep thinking about the djkt shows opening next year because...... it's next year, tf am I supposed to do until then? finish my degree? get a real job? not kms?

#same

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On one hand, I know that Pavel R. being cast as Maxim (or a Maxim alternate) is a very likely scenario for DJKT Rebecca, but I kinda want to see him cast as Favell, because I know he would be having so much fun just being a little cunty evil shit.

#djkt rebecca #genuinely curious about the cast even tho the opening night is like a year+ away #we kind of have guaranteed that Charlotte will be Ich #and if the other Pavel doesn't end up in the ensemble he'll either be Frank or Ben #and I'm calling it now but Stanislava Topinková Fořtová as Mrs van Hopper #my other tip on a potential Favell is Dušan because he just knows how to play cunty evil shits

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Today is the 170 year anniversary of Franz Joseph's and Elisabeth's wedding, so don't forget to blast your favorite versions of Alle Fragen sind gestellt, Sie passt nicht and Der Letzte Tanz at least once today <3

#elisabeth das musical #european musicals

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Just had the premiere date confirmed for the first ever play I'll be working on as a costume designer! Legit can't believe that from September, my designs will be onstage for people to see

(Only a school play for now, but I honestly didn't expect that from the beginning of my 3rd bachelor year, I would have an active production, no less one on the largest stage our school has)

#adri rambles #costume design

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Reblog this to give the person you reblogged from a heart shaped cookie

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DJKT Jesus Christ Superstar as kitties:

Klimenda!Jesus:

Režný!Jesus:

Dušan!Judas:

Charlotte!Mary:

Naty!Mary:

Simon:

#djkt #djkt jcs #lol #so accurate #especially the Pája and Dušan ones xD

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#djkt jcs #jcs #jesus christ superstar #Pavel Režný #can't wait for the day I see him as Jesus because this man is a certified powerhouse #with a certified talent for also making me feel things with those sad puppy eyes of his #Absolutely loved this moment during I Don't Know How To Love Him with just letting Jesus be vulnerable #After the entire Act 1 of him trying to keep his influencer persona pristine

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hate to be that bitch but every time I see a show in prague and the audience is annoying I think “this would never happen at a djkt show”, and you know i’m right

#true #djkt genuinely has genuinely the most well behaved audience #and they taught people to stay for playouts to clap for the orchestra as well <3

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There is an entire performance plan and choreo in my head for when I make myself a Mayerling dress and dare to compete in it. And it's to Einladung zum Ball from TdV of all things.

#elisabeth das musical #i say “dare to compete” as if 2 minutes of potential shame aren't worth getting those ~35 euro for my ticket back #the real thing making competing in the Mayerling dress awkward is the reference pictures (or lack there of) #but I will power through #cosplay rambles

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DJKT I'm in your walls, pls, when are you dropping the Orlando proshot

#djkt #adri rambles

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I feel like with Tanz, a good way to start off is with the 2011 Berlin boot that should still be readily available on YouTube. It has a very solid cast all around (Drew Sarich as Krolock, Amelie Dobler as Sarah and Anton Zetterholm as Alfred) and is overall nicely filmed and it has subtitles.

But, if the question deflecting was what I would do if I were making a dreamcast, well, feel free to drop it into my askbox ;)

Since we started with the asks and DJKT dreamcasts, who would your ideal cast for a potential DJKT Tanz der Vampire be?

oh noo i’m ashamed to say but i’m literally the worst person to ask this 😭i’ve never seen the show because I (successfully) avoided the Goja production like the plague (specifically because of the casting) so i’ve only heard the German recording on spotify and I don’t feel like that’s enough for me to do a good job here. Maybe I can deflect the question right back- where should I start with that show because I really want to now🥲

#adri rambles

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I think what might best illustrate the difference between Pavel Režný and Pavel Klimenda as Jesus are these two photos. They are the exact same moment during The Last Supper, but I love the way you can see the immediate difference in their interpretations just from the photos.

Pavel Režný's Jesus is the strong, charismatic leader. He is aware (to some degree) that what he created is a cult and he is fully there to be the world's savior, it's knight in shining armor. Take fame or glory, he will revel and power through it. A true superstar savior. But he begins realizing that there is no way he can save everything by himself, no way he can manage all of this and he is starting to feel the burnout getting to him, slowly but surely, but is trying to keep a brave face on the entire time. If he has to go out, he will try to go out with a proud face and a bang.

Pavel Klimenda's Jesus is a soft-hearted innocent young man who just wanted to make a change for the better in the world, or at least in his closest circle. He didn't want the fame that comes with being an influential figure, he didn't want the glory and attention, he just wanted to help those who needed it. All his intentions were of the purest and most selfless kind. And he's slowly realizing that everything has twisted itself against what he imagined it would be. He's horrified to realize that who he thought were his friends are in fact a cult that formed around him, that they don't care about what matters to him, but about his influencer persona. And that there is no way out now and it will only get worse. If he could, he would go out as quickly and quietly as he can.

#djkt #djkt jcs #jesus christ superstar #jcs #pavel & pavel 🛐 #a reminder that both interpretations are very valid #and that is why I treasure DJKT so much #that they not only allow but encourage their performers to find their own unique interpretations