Artistic crime thriller

Admittedly, I’m a fan of the Papierfabrik variety theatre in Klein-Neusiedl. What the artist couple Seraina and Marc Dorffner have created there is of international calibre and also courageous. They are living their dream of a modern variety show that is (vainly) unparalleled in this country: acrobatics, comedy, magic, music – all packaged in a theatrical setting.
“Kreuzverhör” (Cross-Examination) is the Papierfabrik’s fifth in-house production, which will be shown until 8th September, Friday to Sunday. The story in brief: Despite strict security, the Golden Chain of Kleinneusiedl is stolen. Two detectives set out to find the thieves: the main suspect is a pickpocket who repeatedly steals the wallets of the two police officers. Investigations are carried out undercover in the Prater, in a disco or in pouring rain in the red-light district. Someone is also fished out of the audience and connected to a lie detector to answer absurd questions. Oh yes: and in between, they practise breaking out of prison with professionals.
And that brings us to the breathtaking acrobatics, which sometimes take place on the trapeze and on a free-standing ladder, partly between the audience tables.
It’s also great how light effects conjure up scenes on stage, from green fields to cloudbursts.
My favourite scene: The Berlin detective accidentally shoots his Austrian colleague. Or did he shoot himself in the knee? In any case, the two police officers present the whole dilemma, including resuscitation attempts, in slow motion. Hilarious! In the end, it turns out that it was only a blank cartridge…
However, I won’t reveal who the thief of the Golden Chain was, especially as “Kreuzverhör” should remain exciting for future audiences. It’s magical in any case.

Location and service:
As in my review from March: Impeccable. A nice detail that fits the story: food and drinks are served by police officers.