Jubilee
 
Behind the program title "Jubilaeum" hides a powerful repertoire, reflecting the most different cultures, about the sense and nonsense of celebration, about the ABCs of different occasions and their rituals. The ten actors of the ensemble (and that means just as many nationalities!), are at the same time musicians and dancers, quick change artists, who swap roles within seconds, who can stand on stage as a stone faced Yuppie, just as easily as a fidgeting Raver. "Jubilaeum" is a collage which transports us into far regions and traditions, and whose rhythm and colors are bewitching. The peculiarities of their compatriots are taken under the magnifying glass with razor sharp precision, however, known cliches and customs are also staged so accurately and humorously that the spectator is continuously given to belly laughter. (...) Really refreshing, to not only experience an uncommon theater evening, but to become familiar with rituals of hardly known populations in the most witty scenarios.

Foyer, Essen
 
 
The actors, coming from 9 different countries, gave interesting insights into celebration rituals of other cultures. Whether Bar-Mitzvah, the Swedish Lucia, or a Japanese tea ceremony - the differences between cultures show up in their way of celebrating. Altogether an entertaining stage event with sparkling actors.

WAZ, Essen
 
 
The independent ensemble from Duesseldorf Theater der Klaenge has never yet presented its interdisciplinary work with such concentrated power as in "Jubilaeum". The new production also clarifies the multiplicity of cultural interests of the international ensemble. The minute long applause at the end of the two hour line of parties, celebration speeches, folk dances, mourning rituals and orgies was certainly not only aimed at the ten performers, out of almost that many countries, and at the directing team of Joerg U.Lensing. It also expressed respect for the immense achievement of the Theater der Klaenge, which has asserted its position in the cultural scene with such great originality, despite the handicap of having to always perform as a touring company without a stable address. "Jubilaeum" is a picture- book on the art of celebration, witty, parodistic and entertaining, (...) like the evening which ends cheerfully with Bacchus and the Hollywood diva, fanning herself as she smiles down at us. This usually very self-willed ensemble succeeds here in a grandiose finale of cinematic quality.

Ballett Journal, 6/97
 
 
Breathless and international, in the rhythm of a dance-revue: For its tenth anniversary, Theater der Klaenge, created a "piece about the art of celebrating". The exalted joy with which the actors brought the rituals, traditional and ceremonial dances from all over the world to the stage, swept the spectators of the sold out Pantheon Theater off their feet.

NRZ
 
 
In "Jubilaeum" is depicted whichever aspect relating to the topics: celebration, party and joy, there may be. The Theater der Klaenge has designed a sort of kaleidoscope which quite fairly portrays all traditions and rites, pageants and parades, honors, acknowledgments and whatever other significant and marvelous occasions there may be in the world. (...) To begin with, one must be able to come on to the idea of reading out the alphabet in terms of festivities, as Clemente Fernandez did so eloquently and precisely - from M like Mother's day to X like Xylophone concert, and C like Civil wedding, he never found himself short of an answer, even to the most challenging letters.

Rheinische Post, Dusseldorf
 
 
(...) The hybris, so often found in the independent theater scene, to want to reinvent the wheel, did luckely not happen in this stormy theatrical momentum. No, the Theater der Klaenge have in every new creation been compared to the most diligent group of archeologists... As such, Lensing and his actors make consistently more sense, through their investigative work on the traditional vocabulary of stage and movement, than mere excavation workers: namely by creating lively art, relating to the present. The pieces shine with images brimming with detail, well thought out scenic compositions, and body work of such precision that it is hard to find outside the dance world.

Tanz aktuell / Ballett international 5/97
 
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