German comedy star Thomas Hermanns is looking forward to the Rose d’Or Festival. «Especially to meeting international comedy specialists. In Germany we tend to restrict our focus to German perspectives and German taste, which is due to a strong and prosperous home market. An international festival opens our eyes time and again,» says Hermanns, explaining his excitement at the prospect of travelling to Lucerne and hosting the Comedy Night.
Hermann’s excitement is justified – with regard to the festival in general and the Comedy Night in particular. That’s because the traditional Comedy Night, which will be held on Tuesday 21st September at the Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne’s Zeugheer Saal, features live performances by comedians from four countries: Switzerland, Australia, Germany and England.
Representing Switzerland on stage will be Michael Gammenthaler, who leaves audiences literally flummoxed and breathless with laughter. In his performances, the artist combines comedy and magic. Describing what the second artist, an Australian native residing in Switzerland, offers his audience is not quite as easy. Rob Spence is clown, pantomime, parodist, body acrobat, jester and stand-up comedian in one person. Carrington-Brown, the award-winning comedy duo from England, demonstrates versatility of a different kind. Together with their 18th century cello Joe, Rebecca Carrington and Colin Brown parody pretty much any genre – from pop to opera and from jazz to Bollywood. Finally, Henning Wehn, a German comedian living in England, exploits English stereotypes about Germans and is utterly politically incorrect. Wehn is a regular guest on British comedy shows.
With these four high-profile acts and Thomas Hermanns as host, the Rose d’Or Festival Comedy Night promises to be an unforgettable night, which won’t leave a dry eye in the house. The Comedy Night will be open to the public. Tickets are now available at the box office or for advance booking at www.ticketcorner.ch.
Comedy Night
Tuesday, 21 September 2010, 8 pm (doors open at 7:30 pm)
Hotel Schweizerhof Lucerne, Zeugheer Saal
Ticket price: 40 Swiss Francs
Box office: 7 pm
Advance tickets: www.ticketcorner.ch
Michel Gammenthaler
Artist Michel Gammenthaler has been appearing on Swiss stages for more than ten years. What began with an almost manic love for magic has over time been mixed with acting and a very special kind of stand-up comedy. Today, his style can be described in a single word: Gammenthaler. So far, he has been the only Swiss to receive the Snow Star Award at the Arosa Festival of Humour. In 2004, he received the Central European Cabaret Award and in 2009, he won the Baden Magic people’s choice award at the national congress of the Magic Circle Switzerland. In 2010, he received the prestigious «Salzburger Stier» award.
Rob Spence
Rob Spence has been making people laugh for 25 years. He is clown, pantomime, parodist, body acrobat, jester and stand-up comedian in one person. Rob Spence twists and bends his body until people get seasick. He caricatures Italian machos, using his body as a pencil, dances Travolta-style until the kids faint, performs a dirty dance and in the disguise of a daredevil matador fights a blood-thirsty sheep. He does the moonwalk like Michael Jackson in seven-league boots and roars about the stage on a Harley at 120 mph. It’s all real, without any mirrors or false floors.
Carrington-Brown
The multiple award-winning music and comedy duo Carrington-Brown is arguably one of the world’s most unusual couples. Together with Joe, Rebecca Carrington’s 18th century cello, they parody pretty much any genre – from pop to opera and from jazz to Bollywood. With worldwide live performances as well as radio and television appearances, they have quickly gained an excellent reputation in the world of comedy and cabaret.
Henning Wehn
English folks like to tell this joke: “What’s the smallest book in the world?” Answer: “The history of German humour.” Apparently the English think that Germans don’t have any sense of humour. And yet they laugh at stand-up comedian Henning Wehn from Hagen, who has been exploiting this stereotype and is utterly politically incorrect. Wehn calls himself German Comedy Ambassador. And with that he may do more to boost the image of Germans than many a diplomat.