spleen*graz Festival

When a puppet reaches puberty

Jef Hellemans as "Pinokkio" in Graz

(Bild: Pepijn Siddiki)

With "Pinokkio", a guest performance from Belgium, the spleen*graz festival has spectacularly rung in its finale. There is still a colorful program until Wednesday - the initial assessment is very positive.

Just a moment ago he was a tree and actually quite happy. But then "Pinokkio" is turned into a human puppet and thrown into the world. This is where he has to find his way - driven by an almost endless hunger: for food, for recognition, for orientation, for love and for freedom.

A wooden path to self-knowledge
A Belgian troupe led by the exceptional performer Jef Hellemans brings Collodi's children's book to the stage in Graz. In humorous and precisely choreographed scenes, he maneuvers his way (speechlessly for long stretches) through a very contemporary reading of the classic: the wooden path through puberty to self-knowledge is paved with real and virtual distractions from inside and outside.

Jef Hellemans as "Pinokkio" in Graz

(Bild: Pepijn Siddiki)

This impressive hour of physical theater is far removed from clumsy pandering - but it is precisely the fact that spleen*graz wants to challenge its young target audience with productions of this kind that makes it so special.

Positive feedback from the audience
And the success proves those responsible right: "Sold-out school performances, sold-out family performances. People dancing, singing and telling stories in our festival headquarters. We are overwhelmed and grateful for the numerous visitors and their positive feedback," says Natascha Grasser from the festival team, taking stock.

After all, the biennial festival is not over yet: Numerous productions are still on the program today and tomorrow before spleen*graz closes on Wednesday evening with "Body Boom Boom Brain", another puberty play.