Lotte’s Gift Mk3
Lotte’s Gift Q Theatre, The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith 2-6 June; Street Theatre, Canberra 9-13 June; Easstbank Centre, Shepparton Vic 16-17 June; Portland Arts Centre, Portland Vic 19 June; Townsville Civic Theatre, Qld 26-27 June; Edinburgh Fringe – August
It’s not often that a theatre work starts out as one thing and then, with a lot of work and over time, becomes another, but this has happened with Lotte’s Gift. The piece began as an entertainment with music performed by Karin Schaupp for the Noosa Longweekend festival. David Williamson wrote it from the memoirs and reminiscences of Lieselotte Reinke and the recollections of her daughter Isolde and Isolde’s daughter Karin.
Two things made it special; first of all Lieselotte – Lotte – has an extraordinary story to tell and her life’s trajectory has been extremely unusual. Second, her granddaughter Karin is one of the finest classical guitarists in the world.
In reviewing the first production I wrote that Lotte’s Gift “…tells a true, heart warming and often hilarious Australian story. As a bonus, it features Schaupp's sublime mastery of the classical guitar. It has the potential to travel the world.”
Since that first production in 2006 the show has travelled, in more ways than one. Independent producer Christine Dunstan became involved, the script was reworked and developed over time and in response to audiences; and Schaupp took it upon herself to put as much dedication and determination into honing her acting skills as she has with her guitar.
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A second touring production scored considerable success around Australia in 2008 when I wrote on stagenoise.com "… a cut, polished and multifaceted entertainment that defies easy pigeonholing. It's not a musical yet it's full of music; it's full of drama, yet it's simple storytelling of the kind that enthrals <…> "
The third incarnation, workshopped and directed by Aarne Neeme, prior to a season later this year at the Edinburgh Fringe, has taken it even further. Schaupp is now an actor who also happens to be a brilliant musician and the switches, back and forth, between her narrating self and as her grandmother, are seamless. The depth and pathos of Lotte’s story are confidently in the foreground and not only makes sense of the whole, but ties the generations together: the young German woman who could have been the greatest opera singer of her generation; the thwarted dreams and cruel reality of her life; her resilience – all these are seen through a different light in her daughter Isolde’s experience and finally comes to a kind of fruition in Karin.It’s brave and revealing story-telling and terrific theatre. And, of course, the musical moments are sublime.
