Children's play

Through love and life as if in fast motion

Anna Zöch and Jakob Schmölzer authentically immerse the audience in the world of Oskar.(Bild: Philip Brunnader)

Ten-year-old Oskar has leukemia and knows that he has to die. But a visitor - an ex-catcher - gives him a good idea: the bestseller "Oskar and the Lady in Pink" can be seen as a successful play for children and young people in the Landestheater's studio stage.

Oskar has leukemia and knows that he is going to die. He found this out by chance. He doesn't get on with his parents - or do they not get on with him and his illness? Then he meets a strange ex-catcher who advises him to imagine each of his last days as ten years - and to live through them. He goes through puberty at a monkey's pace, falls in love with his fellow patient, experiences highs and lows, the mid-life crisis and finally feels the weariness of old age.

(Bild: PHILIP BRUNNADER)

Turbulent, humorous and yet serious
Tanja Regele stages the bestselling book for an audience aged ten and over. She uses a trick to turn the story into a play within a play: Anna Zöch and Jakob Schmözer take turns playing the roles of Oskar, then Lady or fellow patient.

The narrative is mixed up with turbulent music and action scenes. Questions about illness and death are not ignored, but never gain the upper hand. Oskar learns to fully savor every moment, to accept life as it is - including its end.

The only criticism is that the play is set at Christmas time, which doesn't really suit spring.

Service: "Oskar and the Lady in Pink" by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Studiobühne der Kammerspiele Linz, duration: 75 minutes; next dates: April 7, 10, 11; suitable for school classes