73. “Mother Thiele”

A character portrait in three acts by Adolph L'Arronge
Performance at the Königliches Schauspielhaus, Berlin

The world that L'Arronge brings to the stage has its own laws. The highest is: living people are forbidden to stay in this world. This law is so strictly observed that no human being has ever been seen in this world. It is populated only by dolls that move their limbs and lips according to certain rules. Here and there their movements bear a distant resemblance to those of human beings. While these puppets move, a human always speaks in different voices, in the manner of ventriloquists. He says a series of cute, charming, charming things, then a series of foolish, silly things, then grumpy things, then sentimental things. Each class of these sayings is put into the mouth of a puppet. The concert performed by these puppets proceeds in such a way that at first things don't quite add up. One group of puppets represents the good, the noble, the charming, the other is a representative of the evil principle and makes life sour for the former, or at least disturbs the unclouded harmony. In the end, however, even the evil dolls become good; one then hears touching, noble speeches, while the same lips move, which only a short time ago seemed to speak malicious and hostile sentences. The dolls now swim in an element of the most delightful bliss and kindness, and the tear ducts of people with coffee-sister feelings develop a lively activity.

It was always like this when L'Arronge's character and morality plays were unleashed on us; it was the same today, when the Königliches Schauspielhaus presented us with a masterful performance of "Mother Thiele". Mrs. Schramm, Mr. Matkowsky, Miss Hausner, Mrs. von Hochenburger, Mr. Vollmer and Mr. Keßler gave as much life to the theatrical characters they had to portray as excellent actors can. The acting was so good that sometimes you could really believe you were dealing with people.