By Uta Buhr

Hilarious! The new comedy by the famous British playwright Terence Frisby is heart-warming and thus just the right thing for a dark and rainy day in the dead of winter. In the very beginning nothing seems to be funny for middle-aged Rosie Boston who has just learned about her husband’s infidelity. Piers Boston, a 53 year old business-man has madly fallen in love with his young and pretty secretary Larissa. He is planning to begin a new life with her in the couple’s posh London apartment overlooking the River Thames. Selfish as Piers is, he does not even seem to expect any objections from his wife either to share her home with Larissa or to move out for good. While Rosie is brooding over her problem, help comes from young Darren Tucker who insists on talking to her. He turns out to be Larissa’s jilted husband who is terribly hurt at being rejected by his wife. While sipping a glass of champagne, Rosie and Darren plan to take an extraordinary revenge on their adulterous partners. First step of the plan: Warren moves in with Rosie. While she gets closer and closer to her young lover, Piers’ business goes bust making him a penniless man from one day to the other. Since he was self-employed, he is not on the dole and he therefore is not entitled to social welfare. What can he do at his advanced age?  Larissa’s unexpected pregnancy complicates the situation the more so as she is getting on his nerves with her chattering all day about “Bumpy” in her constantly swelling belly. And what’s more – Rosie is pregnant too by Darren! Being short of money, Rosie, Darren, Piers and Larissa now share the same apartment and by the time get used to each other. In the end, the quartet ends up to live together in another place in the outskirts of London. This most amusing play about marital infidelity mirrors some of today’s unusual social and sexual relationships.

The actors were no less than brilliant in their different parts. While Debbie Radcliffe and James Walmsley – both already well-known to the habitués of the English Theatre – play the estranged Boston couple with great passion, the “youngsters” Emily Eaves as Larissa and Chris Casey in the role of her revengeful husband give an impressive debut on the Hamburg stage.

Last but not least a few words about the British author Terence Frisby, a playwright much acclaimed in the world of comedy. Just remember his greatest success “There’s a Girl in my Soup” which toured the world from Berlin to Sydney and other places on our globe. The man wrote also a book entitled “Outrageous Fortune”, an autobiographical story about his fifteen years as a litigant in the High Court following his spectacularly awful divorce. Mr. Frisby knows all about marital life and “drama” from his own experience. And for this reason this play about love, infidelity, revenge and – yes – hatred is so authentic.

Recommendation: Book tickets for this wonderful bittersweet comedy immediately! Phone number: 040 – 227 70 89 – online booking under: www.englishtheatre.de

Last performance of “Funny about Love” on February 11, 2012

Next premiere on February 23, 2012: “The Comedy of Errors” by William Shakespeare

THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG CELEBRATES ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY

BEWARE OF FOXES, LADIES – “THE FOX”, THE NEW PLAY BASED ON A NOVELLA BY D. H. LAWRENCE

What an error to believe that their life in the English countryside on their own farm would turn out to be easy going and even idyllic! Nellie March and Jill Banford, two young ladies and life-long friends, are totally frustrated. The villagers are gossiping about the women’s unconventional relationship and feel that their lifestyle is not acceptable to decent people. The play is set in the dead of winter in 1918, right after the First World War. The two girls’ farm is in a bad state, they are having trouble with their crops and their hens won’t lay.  And to crown it all, a fox living in the nearby woods has been pillaging their henhouse.

While Nellie and Jill are sitting by the fireplace in their cosy cottage, seeking for a solution to make ends meet, footsteps can be heard in the courtyard. A knock at the door, and in comes a young attractive man, clad in a soldier’s uniform. He introduces himself as Henry Grenfel and pretends that he has just returned from his camp in Canada. He knows the farm, since he used to live here with his grandfather, the former owner of the estate. The intruder offers his services in exchange for food and shelter. Further he promises to kill the fox and assist the two ladies in running the farm. While Jill falls for his charms and invites him to stay, Nellie wants Henry to leave immediately. In the end, she gives in to Jill’s wish, and Henry becomes a member of the household. This ménage à trois, however, very soon proves to be a disaster.

D. (David) H. (Herbert) Lawrence, one of the greatest English poets of the 20^th century, was well known for his love of symbols. His novella “The Fox”, which he wrote in 1923, can be called a prize example of this. Henry who shoots the fox is a fox himself, a sly, calculating male, determined to stir up emotions and divide the two girl friends. Will he succeed in seducing Nellie,

the aloof  beauty, who likes to dress like a man in trousers and boots? Or will Jill eventually succumb to Henry’s erotic charm? This you will find out yourselves, dear spectators, during two thrilling hours at the English Theatre. Just one hint: The end of the play is revolting!

The Author of the Play and the setting

Thanks to Allan Miller, an American actor, director, teacher and writer in one, Lawrence’s novella was transformed into a drama fit for the great stages of the world. Since its first production in Los Angeles in 1981, and  one year later in New York, “The Fox” has been performed all over the United States, and has toured England and Australia. It has proved very popular around the globe and has thus been translated into a number of foreign languages, including Chinese.

As usual, the furnishing of the stage is completely in line with the period of the play. The living-room of the cottage is cosy and warmly lit, whereas the landscape with its bare trees shaken by a strong wind forebodes trouble. As usual, Geoff Humphrys’ lightning design is atmospheric and deserves praise.

The Actors

These three young imports from England are amazingly mature and highly professional actors. Suzy Baston portrays Nellie March, the cool emancipated woman, with great intensity, and Kate Middleton (not to be confused with the Duchess of Cambridge) is convincing in the part of her vulnerable friend Jill Banford.  Adam Reeves as Henry strikes as the ideal “cock of the walk” in this disturbing ménage à trois – cunning, inscrutable und seductive.

D. H. Lawrence

Last but not least a few words about the author of the novella on which the play

“The Fox” is based. Lawrence lived from 1885 until 1930. He was born in central England as the son of a coal miner and heavy drinker. His childhood was dominated by poverty and friction between his parents. After studies at Nottingham University he worked as a clerk before he became a writer, and one of the greatest of his time at that. His oeuvre comprises poems, stories and novels, among them “The White Peacock”, “The Rainbow”, “Sons and Lovers”, not to forget  “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”, his most famous book which turned out to be a scandal since it was seen by his puritanical  contemporaries as sheer pornography. From Lawrence’s doctrine of sexual freedom arose obscenity trials, which had a deep effect on the relationship between literature and society. In 1912 he wrote: “What the blood feels, and believes, and says, is always true.” When Lawrence died of pneumonia on March 2, 1930, in the south of France, at the age of 45, he was appreciated as one of the greatest and most influential writers of his time.

Final Performance of “THE FOX”: November 12, 2011

For tickets please phone: 040-227 70 89 – Online booking under www.english.theatre.de

Next Premiere: “FUNNY ABOUT LOVE ” by Terence Frisby on November 2011

From Uta Buhr

Did Neil Simon really write this play? Up to now we only knew the very worldly and sunny side of his character. However, in his latest Broadway hit the “grand seigneur” of comedy surprises us with kind of a mystery play dealing with love and loyalty that outwit death. Amazing! Just think of witty plays such as “Barefoot in the Park”, starring Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, elegant “California Suite”, or the enchanting musical “Sweet Charity” with Shirley McLaine in the leading part – only to name a few comedies out of the author’s rich work. It seems as if Neil Simon, born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1927 has reached the age of wisdom. Let us hope that America’s most popular writer of comedy will continue to cheer us up with some new most entertaining plays in the future.

About the play:

Rose Steiner is a well-known bestselling author in her early sixties – or better – she used to be a successful writer. Until she faces a long-lasting writer’s block that started after her lover Walsh McLaren passed away a couple of years ago. Walsh himself wrote one bestseller after the other during his lifetime. Rose being unable to accept her lover’s death, sees Walsh and talks to his ghost. In her imagination he is always around her – day and night – dressed up in an immaculate white suit. Her daughter Arlene who lives under Rose’s roof, patiently tolerates her mother’s eccentricities, but draws a line where it comes to noisy sex with Walsh.  Rose badly needs money to lead a decent life and keep her luxury beach house in New Hampshire. If no fresh money comes in immediately, she risks an existence in poverty. One day Walsh announces that he will leave her and return forever in his “realm of shades.” But before going away, he wants to secure her financial future by suggesting that she complete his last unfinished novel with the help of Gavin Clancy, a young hopeful writer who lives in the neighbourhood. But Rose refuses to make money from a book with Walsh’s name on it. When Rose’s daughter Arlene falls in love with the nice young man, things become really complicated for all parties concerned. However, thanks to Neil Simon’s inventiveness and sense of humour the play’s happy ending is guaranteed.

As usual, Robert Rumpf, the director of the English Theatre of Hamburg, has chosen four great actors for “Rose’s Dilemma.” Victoria Lennox as Rose is a well-known actress boasting a long record of successful appearances on stage and on TV. Young and attractive Laura Murray plays the role of Rose’s daughter Arlene, and Tom Rooke acts the part of charming Gavin Clancy. Last but not least, we were pleased to see Stephen von Schreiber again, this time in elegant white and grey outfits giving Rose’s ghost and adviser.

Final performance of “Rose’s Dilemma”: July 2, 2011. For tickets dial phone number 040 – 227 70 89, for more information contact www.englishtheatre.de

We shall keep you posted about the next premiere in early autumn. The new play is not yet known to us.

Photos: H. J. Kock

Von Uta Buhr

AN OLD NEW PLAY OR A NEW OLD PLAY AT THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG: GEORGE BERNHARD SHAW’S “MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION

“What a scandal – how shocking indeed!” This might have been the mildest criticism with regard to George Bernhard Shaw’s play about prostitution in Queen Victoria’s puritanical  Great Britain at the beginning of the 20^th century. As it is, the play “Mrs Warren’s Profession”, written by the author in 1894, was staged in 1902 when the virtuous ruler – Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India – had already been dead for a year. However, her high moral standards were still alive at all levels of society. What a cheek of a playwright – an Irishman at that – to stir up the hornet’s nest of dirt and prostitution which virtually did by no means exist at that time in the country. How daring! Anyway, under the severe theatre censorship of Her Majesty’s Lord Chamberlain the play was forbidden after its first performance. Later, when rules were a bit relaxed, Mrs Kitty Warren’s life as a “madam” of a string of brothels on the Continent became a great box-office success not only in Britain.

Nowadays hardly anybody in our Western countries will find anything scandalous about prostitution, the more so as a number of attractive female students – even young women from respectable families – prostitute themselves to make ends meet. Some of them even write books about their experiences in the “oldest profession in the world” and make a fair amount of money by doing so. Thus, prostitution is nothing to be proud of but, at the same time – as it seems – nothing any woman must be ashamed of either. In Mrs Warren’s day, however, the situation was still entirely different.

About the Play:

Miss Vivie Warren is enjoying a “chill out” in a lush green garden near Haslemere in Surrey after a hard term at Cambridge University. The young bright and pretty graduate meets her mother, elegant Mrs Kitty Warren, and learns that she owes her luxurious life to a number of  brothels that her mum owns on the Continent. What a shocking revelation. No, Vivie is not at all amused. But being a pragmatic girl, she sympathises with her mother, taking her miserable upbringing into consideration. However, she expects Kitty to give up her “job” immediately and thus stop the exploitation of young poor girls. But Kitty does not even dream of abandoning her powerful, immensely profitable position. Both women part without even shaking hands. Vivie is determined to use her education to build up her own career in the business world.

This is the core of the plot. As a matter of fact, the play is populated by a couple of very different characters – such as the Reverend Samuel Gardner, a sweet-natured, but rather weak man who – by the way – turns out to be Vivie’s father! Two gentlemen who claim to be in love with the young woman – one in his twenties, the other one fifty plus – want to marry her. In Vivie’s opinion, young Frank is a charming good-for-nothing, whereas the other man, Sir Robert Crofts, strikes her as a brute and a scoundrel. The nicest man in the play, Mr. Praed, worships Vivie in a rather platonic way without bothering her with unpleasant proposals. In the end, Vivie gives in to none of them and chooses the harder way in her struggle for independence.

As already stated, this British classical written by one of the greatest playwrights in the English language, was banned from the stage in the early 20^th century for its scandalous content. In our day it is applauded world-wide for its critical view of the status of women and the hypocrisy which still prevails in society. Shaw’s “Mrs Warren’s Profession” is in many ways a modern play which teaches us a lesson about some people’s  high moral standards.

Final performance of “Mrs Warren’s Profession” on April 23, 2011

Tickets under phone number 040-227 70 89 – Further information: www.englishtheatre.de

Next premiere of “Rose’s Dilemma” – a comedy by Neil Simon – on May 5, 2011

„DON’T  MISUNDERSTAND ME“ – THE NEW PLAY AT THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG

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This hilarious play is a Christmas present for all spectators who appreciate the inborn British sense of humour. Britain boasts a great tradition in comedies. Just think of William Shakespeare, the world’s greatest dramatist ever, also known under the sobriquet “Swan of Stratford”, who not only wrote a number of tragedies, but also numerous, most entertaining comedies, such as “Twelfth Night”, “Winter’s Tale”, “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and, last but not least “The Comedy of Errors.” When referring to Patrick Cargill’s “Don’t misunderstand me”, the various errors and misunderstandings between Solinus, Luciana, Lucie, Angelo and the rest of the “set” ring a bell. You may argue that Shakespeare who died nearly four hundred years ago, wrote about his contemporaries’ problems, and that Cargill’s work (the author died in 1996, aged 77) has absolutely nothing to do with the plays that his famous colleague once wrote. However, this is a fatal error. Both comedies in question deal with one and the same subject – love. If you want to learn more about the errors and tribulations resulting from marital love and secret affairs, buy a ticket and abandon yourself to the pleasure of a most amusing  evening at the TET.

About the play:

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Middle-aged Charles Fleminge, a typical member of the British middle class, indulges in a brief but most enjoyable affair with a young attractive American girl during a business trip to New York.  Charles being a clever business man leaves neither name nor address with his fair lady, but vanishes hush hush from Big Apple. Though he acted rather cowardly, Charles takes pride in his taking French leave. However, the man has completely underestimated his fair lady, luscious, long-legged blonde Janey, who turns up out of the blue in his home in England. Surprise, surprise! Charles makes Margery, his spouse, believe that Janey is his brother’s wife Jane. Robert in brotherly love aids Charles to hide Janey’s true identity from Margery. The deception works until the real Jane turns up. As to be expected, this tissue of lies results in a number of hilarious complications and misunderstandings. Charles cannot longer conceal his affair from Margery and has to confess to her. As she herself is keeping a romantic secret, a happy ending is guaranteed.

The author of the comedy:

Patrick Cargill who was born in East Sussex in 1918 and died in1996 at the age of 77 was a man of various talents. He was actor and playwright in one who also performed on stage as a singer. As a young man he was aiming for a military career and was selected for training at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where the princes of the British Royal Family are also trained. However, after World War II Cargill said farewell to the army and started a stage career, in the beginning as an actor in many different parts. In the sixties he began performing on the TV screen and became soon very popular in the United Kingdom. One of his greatest successes was a leading role in “The Blood Donor.” He also appeared in films. Just think of “The Countess from Hong Kong” in which he co-starred with Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren. His work for the theatre includes, among others, “Ring for Catty” and “Don’t misunderstand me.” His fans once named him “A master of the light touch.”

The actors:

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For three of the actors “Don’t misunderstand me” is sort of  a home match. The regular audience of the English Theatre already knows James Walmsley, Jan Hirst and Stephen Chance, three wonderful “Thespians” in whatever play they appear.  We also compliment the two newcomers to the Mundsburg stage  Liz Garland as Jane and Madeleine Hutchins as Jaynie on their performance and are looking forward to seeing them in again in Hamburg.

Please note:

Final performance of “DON’T MISUNDERSTAND ME” on February 12, 2011

Next premiere: George Bernard Shaw’s “MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION”  on

February 24, 2011

The English Theatre of Hamburg is happy to announce its new play „Don’t misunderstand me“, written by the famous British actor and playwright Patrick Cargill. Premiere on Thursday 25 November, 2010, at 7.30 p.m. This light-hearted comedy about Charles, the nice middle-aged family man, who desperately tries to escape his short-lived affair with a young American girl, is most amusing. Perfect entertainment for the dead of winter!

We shall come back on the play after the premiere.

THE NEW “POLITICALLY INCORRECT” PLAY AT THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG

Von Uta Buhr

Before you say anything about racism in today’s United States of America, think twice! This is the message of Neil Labute’s play “This is how it goes.” Most of us naïve Europeans were of the opinion that racial prejudice between black and white Americans had long been abolished. We even thought that the New World could teach Europeans a lesson concerning racial harmony. However, Neil Labute boldly opens up old wounds und shows us that crude racism still lingers below the surface of Afro-Americans and white Americans alike.

The plot is set in small town America and deals with the repercussions of an interracial love triangle. Cheerleader Belinda, a pretty middle-class blonde, meets Cody, the star of the high school track team, falls in love with him and marries the black athlete. After school Cody starts a remarkable career as a successful businessman while Belinda stays at home with their two kids. Her life as stay-at-home mom and the delicate balance of her marriage with an Afro-American is troubled when a former high school friend – simply called “the man” in the play – turns up in town and rents the small apartment over the couple’s garage. “The man” comes up with embarrassing questions about who Belinda and Cody want to be, who they are and what made them that way. It soon becomes obvious that “the man” is deeply attracted by Belinda. This worries Cody who threatens to throw “the man” out of his house.

The dialogue between the two men is becoming more and more aggressive. Political correctness goes right out of the window as the play deals with prejudice in white and black America today. The play’s title refers to The Man’s frequent breaking of drama’s “Fourth Wall” as he addresses the audience in-between scenes. He prefaces his remarks to set up the next scene with “This how it goes…” or his remarks on the preceding action with “This is how it went…” following his own fantasies as to the past of Belindas and Cody’s relationship. Since his devotion for Belinda goes back to their common days at school, he still is very much in love with her. This makes him an unreliable narrator. Some scenes prove not to have occurred as he relates them and get re-acted in a way that the spectators might find more reasonable or plausible. This remarkable play is a mixture of comedy, drama and “whodunit” in one.

Some words about the author: Neil Labute was born in Detroit/Michigan in 1963, studied at New York University and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He is one of America’s most successful contemporary authors. His works for the theatre and the screen comprise plays such as “Fat Pig”, The Shape of Things”, “Autobahn”, “In the Company of Men” and last but not least “This is how it goes.” By the way, since Neil Labute calls a spade a spade, some critics call him a cynic.

Final performance: November 13, 2010

Premiere of the next play: “Don’t misunderstand me”, a comedy by Patrick Cargill on November 25, 2010

Rejoice! On September 9, 2010, the English Theatre of Hamburg will present its new premiere. “THIS IS HOW IT GOES” is the title of the play written by the famous American playwright Neil LaBute. It deals with such classic themes as prejudice, racism and – last but not least – bigotry. The topics of this gripping  play are the still existing problems and tensions between black and white citizens in today’s America. The author does not care in the least for political correctness and thus adds a funny note to his drama. Neil LaBute who is of French Canadian, English and Irish ancestry, writes plays for the theatre and, at the same time, boasts an impressive record as a filmmaker. For example … “The Wicker Man” was an American version of a British cult classic which starred famous actors like Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn. A great British newspaper recently dubbed Neil LaBute “America’s misanthrope par excellence.” Let us put it this way: The author is absolutely free of any illusions and just calls a spade a spade.

Save the date: Premiere on September 9, 2010

Tickets: 040 – 227 70 89 – Internet: www.englishtheatre.de

“Responsible tourism is more than just a catchword. There also has to be action. If we plan to take Cape Town forward as a leader in tourism, the tourism industry needs ongoing manifestations of real initiatives, like the Responsible Tourism Initiative that we have just launched for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™,” this is according to Cape Town Tourism CEO, Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, speaking after the announcement of a safe-sex project that was launched as part of Cape Town Tourism’s responsible tourism initiative. This HIV awareness initiative forms part of a wider national campaign that will be launched by the Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, next week.

The City of Cape Town and its major stakeholders recognized that a critical area for achieving a successful World Cup™ for both visitors and citizens alike is Responsible Tourism. In this light Cape Town Tourism, the City of Cape Town, the Provincial Department of Health, FEDHASA, and the South African Business Coalition on HIV/ AIDS (SABCOHA) have partnered to distribute condoms in the hospitality sector during the FIFA World Cup™ period. SABCOHA, the official sponsor of the one million branded condoms, will launch their national Condom Distribution Initiative with hotels and bed and breakfast establishments across the country next week. The condoms have been branded with messaging about responsible behavior. As one of the world’s most representative tourism membership associations with more than 2,300 members, Cape Town Tourism has put their weight behind the project by adding a cheeky message on the condom packaging: “Play it safe in Cape Town.”

SABCOHA CEO, Brad Mears, said that his organization supports and is a part of the government’s program and theme, “I am Responsible, We are Responsible, South Africa is Taking Responsibility.” South African business, he said, is taking responsibility.

The Grand Daddy Group, owners of the Daddy Long Legs Boutique Backpackers, The Grand Daddy Hotel, and the Old Mac Daddy Luxury Trailer Park in Elgin are some of the first to boldly engage with the project by distributing condoms in their hotels. Yesterday, Wednesday, June 2, 2010 saw the launch of this initiative in Cape Town at The Grand Daddy Hotel in Long Street. A total number of 160,000 condoms will be distributed in 30 Cape Town accommodation establishments over the following weeks.

CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Mariette du-Toit Helmbold said, “We are well aware that sexual activity is part of a holiday experience for most, but we are suggesting that people remain responsible whilst having a good time by practicing safe and responsible sex.”

Quelle: Forimmediaterelease.net

Crime time at the English Theatre of Hamburg!

In the lobby the spectators are greeted by a poster warning them not to catch a fright when confronted with the notorious
“smoking gun.” The explosion during the first act is indeed very impressive, the more so as one of the actors is shot dead and is lying in a pool of blood on the shining floor of Camille Dargus’s elegant Manhattan apartment. Come to that, this “youngish” lady is a famous jewelry designer with a preference for one-night-stands with attractive very young men. The night before, she had invited Billy, a handsome waiter, into her house. Nothing unusual so far. However, when she wanted to get rid of him in the morning, he refused
to leave and turned out to be a  blackmailer who filmed their intimacies in her bedroom. Instead of getting hysterical, Camille kept a cool head und instantly called her security guard Ted to throw her unwelcome visitor out of her flat. From now on this very intricate story gains momentum.  It is very essential to listen very closely to every word exchanged between the actors on stage. Is Billy really dead and which role does the beefy Ted play in this murderous game? What happened to Camille’s rich husband who left her a fortune after his death? And what finally became of that mysterious son of hers?

The American author David Foley is already well- known to many theatre goers on both sides of the Atlantic. His latest play “Deadly Game” only recently premiered in the United States where it won the famous Edgar Allan Poe Award for crime fiction. Foley is an extremely productive author whose plays include – among others – “Paradise”, “In Exile” and “A Hole in the Fence.” Foley loves the thrill of witty crime fiction. As to thrillers such as “Deadly Game”, he holds a mirror up to us when saying: “We love blood. We love murder. We love danger and double-crosses and the moment when the safe, predictable world gives way. We love them in a thriller (because) thrillers allow us to slip the cost. They allow us to laugh as we gasp, to feel horror with pleasure, to ride death and danger like a rollercoaster. … I loved Ira Levin’s fiendish entertainments and the elegant gamesmanship of Anthony Shaffer’s ‘Sleuth’. Writing ‘Deadly Game’, I rediscovered the luxurious addictive pleasures of these stories: mysterious strangers, priceless jewels, unsavoury secrets and death not from natural causes. We get a lot of tragedy in the world. We get a lot of blood and betrayal. But (in ‘Deadly Game’) we just have fun.”
The three actors – Joanne Hildon as Camille, Warren Adams playing Billy, and – last but not least – Les Kenny-Green in the role of security guard Ted, are perfectly up to their parts in this thrilling game. Congratulations!

Final performance: July 3, 2010
We shall inform the readers of our DAP Homepage about the next premiere in early autumn as soon as possible. The title of the new play is not yet known to us

Worldwide financial crisis and its influence to buying behavior in art market

By Dr. Wolf Tekook
Bankrupt of Lehman Brothers Bank in September 2008 marked the begin of a worldwide financial crisis. Stock price dropped at all emporiums, millions of employees lost their jobs. Governance of industrial states launched auxiliary programs to attenuate follow- up bankrupts. In Europe and North America they established massive support for car market by scrapping premium for old vehicles. Governments gave billions of dollars to banking companies in tilt, to prevent total collapse of financial markets and attenuate unemployment in industrial branches.
Middle class and freelancer didn’t benefit of state aid, however. In the following we will concentrate on buying behavior in art market.
Artists normally are self- employed persons, if we abandon salaried graphic designers, employees in movie industry and artisans. They offer the art works created by direct marketing, in galleries or art fairs. Those, who are very lucky, get mandates by public agencies, or are invited to exhibit in museums. Commonly art works are regarded as luxury goods; people don’t need them to fulfill their primary personal needs. So it’s apparent, that citizens in social misery first save expenses by not buying ‘luxury goods’.
However, when an artist presents his works in a gallery or at an art fair, he will be surprised by big number of applauding visitors. They intensely busy themselves with shown pictures, objects and installations, debate over styles and saying, compare and analyze. Presenting artist is ravished and overwhelmed by interest; but then the possible customers vanish – even without an attempt of bargaining. In next section of gallery or art fair the game starts again. Visitors – holding a glass of sponsored champagne and tasting delicatessen finger food offered – admire, debate and disappear, and the presenting artist lost another chance to earn money for his living by selling an artwork.
Why do art lovers act that way? They just look upon those exhibitions as a temporary place to get inspired for a short time. Later, when having an excellent dinner with friends, they go on with debating and evaluating recent art. Right from the start they never planned to buy an art work. ‘Luxury goods’ are made for watching and discussing about, but not for buying them; we are living in times of economical crisis – see above.
On the other hand, every now and then newspapers or magazines give an account of a new world record, when a painting of Renoir or van Gogh realized an enormous price at an art auction. Christie’s or Sotheby’s frequently achieve an unbelievable price- performance ratio, when offering art works. So there is a market for art, and there are customers, who are willing to spend millions of dollars for it.
Are those customers of auctions art lovers? They are rather financial investors. In the 80ies of past century Japanese banking companies started buying highest rated art works of the impressionism era; they often locked the purchased merchandise behind the solid walls of safes, and waited. They waited for a further rise in prices, to sell the art works again with nice proceeds. They made art works part of their financial circuits.
Few living artists managed to integrate those circuits, like Damien Hirst from Great Britain, who in 2008 managed to let Sotheby’s auction part of his art works for total proceeds of 200 million dollars – within 2 days. At same time financial crisis in USA and Europe reached its first peak. Later Hirst himself stated, that this auction was a proof, that inhumanity prevailed over humanity. He called the event ‘bestiality of doom and mendacity”.
And the prosperous art collectors? They still exist with their hidden private museums, with their foundations and their infrequent public appearance. Some of them indeed act as patrons for (still unknown) artists, buy their art works and so enable living and development of artists. But their number is delimited, and so very few artists can partake.
The majority of wealthy art collectors first consult their analysts from banking companies, who actually often give the advice not to reinvest in art in times of financial crisis.
And so another circuit is closing: Those, who caused the financial crisis, which heavily reduced market opportunities for artists, exert their influence to partition artists from the recovering markets. It’s always been a hard job earning his livelihood as an artist; but in time of financial crisis it is much worse.

Entrepreneur Ali I. Shahzad about his Success, the Economic Crisis and his Prognosis

On October 11th 2008 Mr. Ali Shahzad kindly took some time for this interview and answered our questions.

In 1978 Mr. Ali Shahzad emigrated from Lahore / Pakistan to Germany, because the local government expelled many successful entrepreneurs from Pakistan due to religious backgrounds. Mr Shahzad gained experiences in different companies and increased his knowledge continuously. Although his life was marked with ups and downs, he never lost his way to achieve his objectives.

The Interview:

Mr. Shahzad, would you please be so kind as to report about you and your success?

Originally I come from a total different industry. In Pakistan I completed an apprenticeship as a software engineer. I acquired knowledge by myself through attentive observation and asking. Finally ending up in the area of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Technology owes its emergence to chance. I started as a normal employee in a PCB factory and worked my way up successively (production supervisor). That I was able to keep working hard for achieving my aims didn’t remain concealed to my superiors.

After 11 years of employment I went into business for myself and set up a small company as a One – Man – Show. The economic survival was an uphill struggle. It took a long time before we received major orders. Over the years we received increasing orders from different companies. Today I am the owner of one of the biggest PCB companies in the global competition with 40 employees in Germany as well as three branches located in China, India and Hong Kong. As you see our success is deserved very hard.

What do you think of the Electronica trade fair and which significance does it have for you?

The Electronica is like a big family, in which you have to appear to be a part of it. Well known companies are invited to the fair and you become acquainted with new companies and people. You get to know new developments, strategies and directions. You socialize with new customers.

How did the fair change during the last years from your point of view?

From my perspective the development decreased a little and became a pure presentation of companies. The acquiring of new customers decreased. It is more likely analyzing, evaluating and positioning oneself and other companies in the market.

Why is it important for you to exhibit at this fair and what did your booth cost?

It is important for us to be a part of this family and to demonstrate presence. Over the years we reduced the cost for our booth as much as possible, so that we can bear the cost.
Who are your competitors and is it important for you to know them?

I claim that we don’t have competitors. There are only a few companies performing in the same league as we do. Through the fact that we are economically and personal well positioned we don’t have to be afraid of anything.
It is important to have a close look at the environment and analyzing it to put oneself on a firm footing.

How important is the technology in our today’s world from your point of view?

Innovation is the driving force of our industry and become more important. The fact that PCBs are in every new electric development secures this branch. Every company wants to launch better technologies. We are in an era in which new technologies enter on the market rapidly.
The more innovative technologies the easier can imagination, desires and needs spread its wings and create new innovation. The reason is that technology doesn’t make steps but leaps. This simplifies our life and improves security and quality at all points.

Which economic development would you desire in the future?

I would desire what every one else would, stability and an optimal solution for every calamity, with less acquisitiveness and more humanity.

How do you appraise the global working across the different countries (vantages / disadvantages)? (China / Germany)?

If a company is well founded, distances are not relevant. We have branches in different countries like Hong Kong, China, USA and India. Our headquarter is located in Germany. Actually the time difference is an advantage for us. We are able to carry out transactions as soon as possible and very efficient, because today there is no lack of communication possibilities.
We are able to arrange customer’s inquiries and requirements with Asia and if necessary confer with the customer about further emerging adjustments on the same day. This way we avoid delays and are able to carry out all transactions as soon as possible.
I will give you an example. Every day we have a time-frame, which ranges from Asia and Germany to the USA. The Americans start to work around 2 p. m. German time. E. g. we receive an inquiry from a customer at 2 p. m. when China leaves of work, then we prepare the requirements for China so that the next day, when China starts to work and we are sleeping, they can work on it and prepare their duties and questions for us or send it directly to the American customer. That means when the customer in the USA are still sleeping, then they already got their required answers and can seamlessly follow up working the next day.

What do you think of the current global crisis?

This global crisis is the outcome of who are gambling and speculate with the economy in a way the majority of humanity is adversely affected by it. Not only the high and mighty are affected by this crisis, but at the expense of the man in the street.
Between the automotive manufacturers the victims are mostly the small suppliers that mean at the end also the employees, who are the ones who suffer.
The markets of the so called (I don’t like this term) Third World are hungry. It is still possible to merchandise different numerous goods. On the one hand the local population could enjoy their life better. On the other hand the industrialized countries could expand their production. But reality teaches us something else. Only a few families are leading the masses, a brutal regime supported by the intelligence services of the industrialized countries.
This kind of crisis respectively economic factor is only useful for the weapon industry and this fact is very painful to me. The weapon lobby is very powerful. Especially the development countries, which have to deal with problems day – to – day, especially there the peace will be disturbed again and again therewith this vicious cycle never ends and the weapon lobby always makes money.
Nobody knows what kind of chain reaction this crisis entails for all of us.

What importance does the item “entrepreneurship” have for you and which attributes characterize a successful entrepreneur in your point of view?

It takes several years of hard work to set up a company but one case only takes a fractional amount. This way fair work has the highest priority for us, because if the customers are satisfied we will grow. We adhere strictly to the plan realizing our customer’s requirements as soon as possible.
Our road to success is confirmed by the forecasts of the last years, in which we double our turnover in almost every further year and in the future we will follow up enlarging our road to success.
A successful entrepreneur regards his employees as family members. He is doing everything for being economically well positioned. At the same time his decisions shall secure the profitable existence of the company to being over success further on.

Is there a person or an entrepreneur by whom you are especially impressed?

I take a complete different line, because I don’t copy any ones life, but live my own life and influence it actively. I don’t want to be put into a frame of thinking or get solutions of other parties drummed into me. I am of the opinion that experiences which have been made by someone else with someone else’s mind can not apply to me. I have to experience with my own mind and time. I make my experiences unprejudiced and don’t want to be influenced by the thoughts of others.

Further information about the company and contact: www.ets-gmbh.com

Thank you very much for the interview.