Englisch – Seite 4 – Die Auswärtige Presse e.V.

„Educating Rita“ – The New Play at The English Theatre of Hamburg

by Uta Buhr
Photos: Stefan Kock

Her initial name is Susan. However, Susan worships writer Rita Mae Brown and therefore calls herself Rita. Frank, a middle-aged lecturer at a university in the North of England (superbly played by Tim Shoesmith) is deeply shocked by Rita’s appearance and her terrible Liverpudlian accent (Grace Alexander Scott plays brash Rita in the most charming way) when she steps into his study. Does this awfully dressed, rather vulgar young woman – skirt too short, heels too high – really think that he is willing to teach her the poems and dramas of Shakespeare, Chaucer, Fielding and other great figures of English literature? Just imagine her literary taste! Her favourite book is “Rubyfruit Jungle” by Continue reading „„Educating Rita“ – The New Play at The English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Educating Rita“ – Das neue Stück am English Theatre of Hamburg

von Uta Buhr
Fotos: Stefan Kock

Eigentlich heißt Rita Susan. Weil sie aber für die Schriftstellerin Rita Mae Brown schwärmt, hat sie kurzerhand den Namen ihres Schriftsteller-Idols angenommen. Besonders „Rubinroter Dschungel“ hat es ihr angetan. In diesem Roman schildert die Autorin die Vita einer gewissen Molly Bolt, die sich für ein selbstbestimmtes Leben – ein Skandal in den prüden fünfziger Jahren des letzten Jahrhunderts – entschieden hat und hoch hinaus will. Sie liest viel, bildet sich und strebt gar das Amt des Präsidenten der Vereinigten Staaten an. Diese Absicht äußert Rita/Susan allerdings nicht, als sie das Studierzimmer von Frank betritt. Dieser desillusionierte, reichlich Gin und Scotch konsumierende Professor für Literatur an einer nordenglischen Universität ist gleichermaßen amüsiert und Continue reading „„Educating Rita“ – Das neue Stück am English Theatre of Hamburg“

„No Dinner for Sinners“ – The New Play at the English Theatre in Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

Thank you so much, Edward Taylor, for this funny play that comes along as a wonderful gift on these gray November days, the more so as the world is still paralyzed by the recent assassinations of innocent people in Paris and by other terroristic acts on our planet.

This light-hearted comedy tells us all about love and adultery, lies and prudery in our modern society. This is how it goes…. Jim Watt, a young ambitious businessman, living in a posh apartment in Chelsea, is expecting his American boss Bill McGregor and his wife Nancy for dinner. Nothing wrong with it if, yes if Bill and his spouse were Continue reading „„No Dinner for Sinners“ – The New Play at the English Theatre in Hamburg“

How to achieve Economic Growth ?

By Immo H. Wernicke

This topic has been discussed during the 7 th International Conference on Business and Management in New York on July 10-11, 2015 organized by the Global Strategic Management Inc. and chaired by Professor Matthew Kuofie from the Michigan University. The contribution of the author as key note speaker has been published in the Journal of Economic Development, Management, IT, Finance and Marketing, Volume 7 Number 2 – September 2015. The abstract of the paper with the title “Achieving Sustainable Economic Growth from the European Point of View” is being made available here:

Abstract
Gigantic administrative system in Europe – poor information
“This paper first discusses the definition for measuring economic growth by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a reference indicator in national legislation and the European treaties. For GDP calculation the National Accounts Approach follows the international standards. The European Union has established a Continue reading „How to achieve Economic Growth ?“

„Fat Pig“ – The New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

Von Uta Buhr

Fat people are in for a hard life in today’s society. Just look at the thin, thinner, thinnest models in women’s magazines and on posters. Isn’t it any woman’s duty to be as thin as all those skinny girls on covers and in advertising spots on TV? Little wonder that Neil LaBute, one of America’s top playwrights and screenwriters, has chosen this topic for one of his plays. This man known for his controversial opinions, who was born Detroit in 1963, is not afraid of dealing with obesity which still is a taboo in many people’s minds. Here we go. Continue reading „„Fat Pig“ – The New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Thrill Me“ – The Leopold & Loeb Story – A Musical Thriller at The English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

Two „supermen“ are planning the ultimate kick

No doubt, this musical written and composed by Stephen Dolginoff is the ultimate kick for all those who go for suspense! After its premiere the New York Observer titled enthusiastically
“A brilliant, unforgettable musical. Sends chills down your spine.” The story behind the plot is an unbelievable crime committed in Chicago in 1924 by two 19-year old extremely intelligent law students. People in Chicago were shocked, shaken down to their souls by this “crime of the century”, the more so as both criminals came from wealthy and highly respected Jewish families. Continue reading „„Thrill Me“ – The Leopold & Loeb Story – A Musical Thriller at The English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Anyone for Breakfast?“ The New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

Are you the new cleaning-woman for upstairs?

What a pity that Britain’s great playwright Derek Benfield is no longer with us. Most unfortunately he died in 2009 at the age of 83 years. Otherwise, we could look forward to a lot of new hilarious plays such as “Anyone for Breakfast?” that just premiered on the Mundsburg stage.

This comedy, set in Shirley und Gilbert’s country house near London has all the classic ingredients of the genre: there are numerous doors through which the actors pass to and fro, usually just missing each other or hiding from each other, thus complicating the plot. Jane, a married woman and a close friend of Shirley’s, tries to seduce young attractive Mark who is shocked by the idea to have an affair with the wife of another man. Continue reading „„Anyone for Breakfast?“ The New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

„National Anthems”, the New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

And the winner is….

It goes without saying from the very first moment. The owners of this posh apartment in suburban Detroit are members of the moneyed American middleclass. Arthur and Leslie Reed have just “held court” for their well-heeled friends and are now clearing their spacious living room from the left-overs of the party. While Arthur, dressed in an expensive Armani suit – 1,900 bucks – just imagine – checks the latest market quotations and his mails on his iPhone, Leslie tries to learn Japanese with the help of a pair of earphones. The extremely loud music from two hidden boxes does not seem to disturb Mr. and Mrs. Middleclass America in their activities. They do not even notice that a stranger is knocking hard at their door. Ben Cook, a neighbour, who Continue reading „„National Anthems”, the New Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

William Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire

by Professor Derek Fraser

(A shortened version of a lecture given on board Queen Elizabeth as part of the Cunard Insights programme January 2014)

Slavery is as old as civilisation itself and many ancient Empires, including Egypt, Greece and Rome, were built on slave labour. However, in the 17^th and 18^th centuries slavery took on a new more systematic form, in the wake of the voyages of exploration to and colonisation of the Americas by Europeans. The fertile land of the New World generated a demand for labour which far exceeded the supply of both indigenous peoples and migrants. Africa seemed to promise an unlimited supply of labour which the colonies needed and so the infamous triangular slave trade developed. Ships from Europe would take manufactured goods, including basic armaments, to ports in West Africa. There the products were offloaded and traded for African slaves, brought to the huge slave warehouses by unscrupulous traders, Continue reading „William Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire“

„Mass Appeal“ – The Play by Bill C. Davis premieres at the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

The plot: Father Tim Farley, an elderly Roman-Catholic priest of Irish descend, is flabbergasted when he meets young head-strong seminary student Mark Dolson who insists on challenging certain rites and traditions of the Church. Accustomed to a good easy-going life, nice parishioners who follow him like sheep and spoil him with gifts such as bottles of good wine and other highly enjoyable things, he does not know what to answer when Mark questions his views on subjects as celibacy and whether women and gay men should be allowed to serve the Roman-Catholic Church as priests. “Weren’t it women who followed Jesus on his bitter way to Golgatha”, says Mark. Not to name Saint Veronica who wiped the face of Christ with her veil. As Mark’s speech goes on, Father Farley becomes extremely helpless and takes resort to a large glass of excellent white wine to calm down. What on earth does this young rebel want, the more so as he apparently is the son of affluent parents? Had he not better choose another job than Continue reading „„Mass Appeal“ – The Play by Bill C. Davis premieres at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Relatively Speaking“ – The New Play At English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

It is a great pleasure to see Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy “Relatively Speaking” again on the Mundsburg stage after a period of nearly fifteen years! As a matter of fact, the public loves this wonderful comedy best of all plays written by Britain’s most prolific playwright. What is its secret? In this play Ayckbourn reveals our human weakness when it comes to telling the truth in awkward situations. Be frank, dear reader, didn’t you ever tell your husband, wife, relatives or friends little white lies whenever you could avoid arguments? These lies – or shall we call them excuses – don’t hurt anybody. In our opinion it is more than justified to make use of them in the best possible way whenever harmony in relationships is at stake. Continue reading „„Relatively Speaking“ – The New Play At English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Stone Cold Murder“ the new play an the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

Thrill as Thrill can: „Stone Cold Murder” by James Cawood – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

Rejoice! This wonderful thriller comes at the very right moment before autumn arrives with fog, strong winds and rainy days. Just imagine an old hotel in the famous Lake District in north-east England at the end of the summer season. Robert and Olivia Chappell, the newly wed owners of this cosy but rather run-down place, are happy having got rid of their guests. Continue reading „„Stone Cold Murder“ the new play an the English Theatre of Hamburg“

Good news for the friends of the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

Uta Buhr is glad to inform you about the new play which will premiere at the TET on September 5, 2013. James Cawood, a young British actor, already launched his first play – a thriller at that – in Vienna. “Stone Cold Murder” was greeted with applause by an enthusiastic audience. The romantic Lake District in mountainous North West England is the place of action of this gripping play about a young couple, a weird visitor and a stolen diamond. Out of these ingredients the author mixed a tasty and enthralling cocktail. We are absolutely sure that spectators in Hamburg will enjoy this excellent entertainment as much as their Austrian “colleagues.”

As usual, we shall come back on the play after the premiere on our website.

Box office: 040 – 227 70 89 or online booking under www.englischtheatre.de

„Big Boys“ – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

„BIG BOYS“ – THE NEW PLAY AT THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG, WRITTEN BY RICH ORLOFF

Did you ever hear of Rich Orloff? If not, it is high time to learn a good many things about this gifted playwright who likes to compose over-the-top comic fables as to what men value and desire. In fact, “Big Boys”, a screwball comedy which premiered in 1997 in the United States, became very quickly a great success nationwide. The subject of the play is as old as mankind itself: greed and man’s desire to dominate over other people. The relationship between a self-satisfied, bully, amoral and – of course – very successful boss and his new insecure, highly moral and unhappy assistant-to-be is dealt with in detail in this hilarious two-character comedy. Continue reading „„Big Boys“ – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

Magic of the Paint-Brush

By Wöhlke/ Witka und Dr. László Kova

„Magic of the Paint-Brush“ Fine Art Exhibition of Witka and Dr. László Kova

It is something special when a married couple is doing the same by profession. About 30 years ago they met accidently in Hamburg/Germany: She came from Masuria/Poland and he had migrated from Budapest/Hungary. Both of them love the nature. With paint-brushes and palettes they travel the world and capture their impressions in colors. Galleries in Europe, the USA and Australia exhibit their works of art frequently.

She, Witka Kova, prefers water colors, he, Dr. László Kova, mostly works with oil on canvas. In Continue reading „Magic of the Paint-Brush“

Touch And Go – The new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

By Uta Buhr

This hilarious comedy by the British playwright Derek Benfield is just the ideal entertainment on a grey November evening and certainly the right thing for Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

The fan club of the small but very nice stage will greatly enjoy this play which the author chose to dub “farce” instead of comedy. And a farce it is in fact since the plot is so commonplace and yet extremely funny. In the proper sense of the word touch and go is an aeronautic term, meaning the start of a plane. However, in the figurative sense it means risky or uncertain. That’s it: two couples, a fake Red Cross Nurse and coq au vin all combine to a really risky adventure! Continue reading „Touch And Go – The new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg“

„Reasons to be Pretty“ by Neil Labute

by Uta Buhr

The new Play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

Name one human being that does not want to be beautiful or at least good looking! But how does one describe beauty, and how important is it in everyday life? Neil Labute’s play “Reasons to be Pretty” – by the way the first one to be staged on Broadway – is all about physical attraction and how people deal with it. The plot centres around four young working class friends and lovers who become increasingly dissatisfied with their dull lives and each other. “Reasons to be Pretty” is the last – and weakest – installment of a trilogy that focuses on modern man’s obsession with physical Continue reading „„Reasons to be Pretty“ by Neil Labute“

„Moon over the Brewery“

By Uta Buhr

„Moon over the Brewery“ by Bruce Graham – the new play at the English Theatre of Hamburg

The fabulous world that teenager Amanda Waslyk has built around her dull existence can by no means compete with that of Amélie, alias Audrey Toutou. Do you remember that gorgeous French film, showing those hot spots and old quarters around Montmartre? In order to cope with her loneliness in Beertown, a dirty coal town in Pennsylvania, thirteen year old Amanda invents Randolph, a smart and handsome Continue reading „„Moon over the Brewery““