BODECKER & NEANDER
ALEXANDER NEANDER - WOLFRAM VON BODECKER
DIRECTED BY LIONEL MENARD
In Germany mime is deeply entwined with Marcel Marceau, the French theatre hero who created the tragicomic clown, Bip. In Europe, particularly in the 1970s, performances by Marceau and Samy Molcho proved that mime was not a theatrical form to be easily dismissed. Back in 1909, theatrical genius and co-founder of the modern "director's theatre" Max Reinhardt also relinquished the spoken word in his sensory theatre experiments.
Bodecker & Neander have been producing their work for over 20 years, during which time they have captivated audiences and the press in more than 35 countries. Schwerin-born illusionist Wolfram von Bodecker and Paris-born Alexander Neander met whilst studying under Marcel Marceau in Paris. They graduated from his legendary school then toured the world as his stage partners before forming their own company. Their exceptional brand of visual theatre is packed with magic, the finest humour and illusion. 'Mime' is derived from the Greek pantomimus meaning 'imitator of all'. Bodecker & Neander use the term 'visual theatre' to describe their work: Silent theatre brought to life by a deft combination of mime and movement, masque, clownery, slapstick and physical theatre that also integrates elements of film, magic lantern and black box theatre.
No wonder their work ignores the boundaries of theatrical genre. The stories are joyous and enjoyable, thought-provoking and tragic. Mime makes room for the viewer's own interpretations - openings awaken the imagination.
With their visual theatre, Bodecker & Neander carry the audience to the country of their desires, to utopia. Two travellers between these worlds prove to be faithful guides who guarantee all sorts of theatrical, earnest adventure. We meet a world-famous pianist who has much to learn from the man turning the pages of his musical score. A simple music lesson turns into a nightmare. An Asian fairytale shows us a world where death and beauty sit side-by-side. Follow Light was developed using a grant and premiered at Dresden's Societaetstheater. Press reception was rapturous: "... mime at its best. The audience at the premier were so excited they went wild in the interval - clapping and stamping their feet. And again at the end. Justifiably so." (SZ)
Text: Reiner Ernst Ohle
Translated by: Cora Chalmers-Owen
VISUAL THEATER
DÉJÀ-VU?
FOLLOW LIGHT
CITY LIGHTS
VISUAL CONCERT - WITH LIVE MUSIC
ESPRIT FRANCAIS
MONSIEUR SATIE
CELLO CINEMA
VISUAL CONCERT - WITH ORCHESTRAS
TEAM
Wolfram von Bodecker (*1969,Schwerin)
Born in Schwerin (Germany), Bodecker initially studied the art of magic with professional magicians and toured with his own magic show. In 1992 he moved to France and completed practical training at the prestigious international mime school “Ecole Internationale de Mimo-drame de Paris, Marcel Marceau“. After receiving a rarely awarded diploma in 1995, he was engaged by Marcel Marceau for the theatre productions "Un soir à l´Eden", "Le Manteau", "Le Chapeau Melon" and "Les Contes Fantastiques", touring world-wide with the master of pantomime.
Alexander Neander (*1970, Paris)
Born in Paris and raised in Stuttgart, Neander started taking mime theatre classes at the age of twelve. He furthered his studies with specialized training in “Commedia dell´arte“ and “black light theatre”. He also graduated from the “Ecole Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris, Marcel Marceau“. He has been a member of the Compagnie Marcel Marceau since 1995 and has been working with his “maestro” as a personal assistant on stage and during his soloist world tours.
Lionel Ménard – Director
“In May 1968 I was scarcely a month old. My first plays played out between the line of my schoolbooks without words, without music, only pictures separating the world of dictations from the world of calculations. These interim spaces were freedom. Not insistent stories but windows between twenty-six mistakes in a dictation and nine eights are eighty. Forty years later I feel that I made a career from this.”
Lina Rohde - Assistent (*1990, Hamburg)
first recognized through tango in 2010 that the passion of her prospective music studies in the subject clarinet did not correspond so much to expressing herself physically. Through dance she discovered the facets of possibilities and finally came to the theatre.
She studied physical theater / mime at "Die Etage" in Berlin and completed her training there in 2016.
Since then she has been on stage with various projects and theater companies and is, among other things, the founder of the duo "Perpetuum Mobile".
David Scholz– Lightning
David moved to the Schaubude Berlin in September 2017 to be trained as an event technician with the team around Jens Angermann and Werner Wallner. During the time on site, he was involved in the technical implementation of the figure and object theater. An annual highlight was the development of productions for the international festival "Theater der Dinge". After successfully completing his training and despite the outbreak of the pandemic at the beginning of 2020, he managed to work as a freelancer and was incorporated into the productions of the Bodecker & Neander company. Since October 2020 he has been supporting the company with his knowledge of sound and lighting technology and was able to premiere the piece "Meine Gute" in May 2021.
The Team: Alexander Neander - Wolfram von Bodecker - Lionel Ménard,
Wolfram von Bodecker and Alexander Neander founded the Théâtre Mimo Magique in 1996, after graduating from Marcel Marceau's “Ecole Internationale de Mimodrame de Paris”. Since 2006 they have been working under the name of “COMPAGNIE BODECKER & NEANDER”. Their first play, SILENCE wins the Berlin Audience Award and the next production, OUT OF THE BLUE is a real success with both the public and with the press. The two artists invent the concept of the “Visual Concert”: during combined performances with large musical ensembles, such as the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, the Arditti Quartet of London and the Gewandhaus-Oktett of Leipzig; the audience discovers a new and fascinating combination of pantomime and music. Many international tours have led the Compagnie Bodecker & Neander to travel through Europe, Asia, South America, and North America.
Thanks to the universal dimension of their visual theatre, the two mime artists appear to be particularly welcome guest at international festivals. With the assistance of director Lionel Ménard, the company performs the musical play BONJOUR, MONSIEUR SATIE !, a unique and imaginary creation based upon the music of the French composer Erik Satie, a true tribute to his life and his work. The play has been supported by the Konzerthaus Berlin, featuring regularly in the institution's program. In November 2007, the musical play TULLES ET SON OMBRE is premiered at the Philhamonie Luxembourg.
Wolfram von Bodecker and Alexander Neander, accompanied by the ensemble United Instruments of Lucilin, tell the story of the young Tulles in a poetic and colorful way to the music of contemporary composer Martin Matalon. By popular demand the company followed up their successful classic, SILENCE; with the new and innovative play DEJA-VU?, which premiered in Dresden in February 2009.
2023
Guest performances at the Mecklenburg State Theatre Schwerin, South Korea, and perfoming on the Island of la Réunion.
Premiere of "Circo Concerto" at the Philharmonie Luxembourg, directed by Lionel Ménard.
Visual creation for A. Schönberg’s "Verklärte Nacht" with a string sextet (Viviane Hagner – first violin, Eckart Runge – first cello).
Concerts in Florence and Bologna, directed by Lionel Ménard.
The Mozarteum Orchestra commissions an image animation film.
2022
Guest performance at the Goetheanum Grand Hall in Dornach.
We performed the visual concert "CELLOCINEMA" with Jacques Ammon and Eckart Runge for three sold-out nights at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
Premiere of a Hommage to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy with the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra Leipzig, conducted by Peter Bruns, directed by Lionel Ménard.
Premiere of "Auf Winterreise" at the Schaubühne Lindenfels in Leipzig.
2020 / 2021
... The pandemic years continue to cast their shadows...
However, the solidarity shown by some theaters and audiences toward freelance artists was remarkable!
The summer theater in Dresden was allowed to take place, an online theater festival in Warsaw... And after 25 years, we received our first public funding.
This led to the production of "MEINE GÜTE! ...", directed by Lionel Ménard, music by Joachim Johow – winner of "Best Show of the Year" in Portugal.
2019
Organ and pantomime project with Dresden cantor Albrecht Koch.
Guest performances of "Déjà-Vu?" in Poland, Switzerland, and Italy.
Winner of the Audience Award at the Bolzano European Cabaret Competition "Surprize", and recipient of the 2nd prize.
Creation with the Philharmonie Luxembourg Symphony Orchestra: "Ma Mère Loye" by Maurice Ravel, directed by Lionel Ménard.
2018
Recasting of the production "MONSIEUR SATIE": Tobias Morgenstern takes over musical direction, piano, and accordion in this homage to Erik Satie.
Subsequent guest performance at Societaetstheater Dresden.
2017
Guest performance debut in Japan with the visual concert "Tulles and His Shadow", featuring United Instruments of Lucilin, Luxembourg.
2016
A special year: We celebrated our 20th stage anniversary!
In September 1996, our duo journey began on a cruise ship.
The year started with a small tour in Switzerland, followed by performances in Austria.
We traveled once again to Uppsala, Sweden, and performed in a wonderful theater in Marnach, Luxembourg, presenting two different programs.
A fantastic experience was a five-day workshop in Be’er Sheva, Israel, culminating in two performances at the B7 Fringe Festival in July.
In Vienna, we once again performed "Tulles and His Shadow" with the Luxembourgish music ensemble Lucilin.
Another highlight was a revival of "Boutique Fantasque" with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne.
Performances at Kulturufer in Friedrichshafen, an exciting tour around Munich in autumn, and finally, two grand performances at Burghof Lörrach with our anniversary program.
We ended the year with a total of 116 performances.
2015
Guest performances in Sweden. “CelloCinema” and “Pulcinella Suite” go on tour.
New project featuring works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy created with the
Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra.
2014
Premiere of the program "Hereingeschneit" ("Snowed In") in Dresden. Summer
Academy at the Warsaw Mime Center, guest performance at the International Mime
Art Festival Warsaw. Tour with Quadro Nuevo as part of the Festspiele
Mecklenburg Vorpommern. Guest performances in Finland.
2013
Premiere in Dresden: in cooperation with the Societaetstheater, the program
"Follow Light! Träume zu Mitnehmen" (“Follow Light! Dreams to Go”) is created,
followed by performances of the new program throughout Germany.
2012
"The Don Quixote Family" makes guest performances in Vienna and Graz as well as
in the Philharmonie in Cologne and at the Cité de la Musique in Paris. More tours to
Poland, Finland, Macedonia, Holland and Ecuador. Together with the WDR
Symphony Orchestra in Cologne, a visual concert of Stravinsky's “Pulicinella Suite” is
created.
2011
Premiere of "The Don Quixote Family" at the Philharmonie Luxembourg,
commissioned by ECHO- the European Concert Hall Organisation, directed by Lionel
Menard and with compositions by and featuring the cellist Elisabeth Naske.
Performances of ¡silence! and “Out Of The Blue” bring the duo to Finland, the
Netherlands and Turkey.
2010
The Circus Theater Dresden engages Neander and von Bodecker for the lead roles in
"Faust Without Words", directed by Tom Quaas and Lionel Ménard. Both press and
audience praise this world premiere with enthusiasm.
2009
Tour with ¡silence! in the cities of Mexico and Argentina. Appearances at theater
festivals in Finland and Poland.
2008
Four tours bring the Compagnie to Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and
Venezuela. The highlight of the tour is a performance in the Teatro Teresa Carreño,
which, with seating for 2,500 spectators, is the largest theater in Latin America.
“Tulles and his Shadow” makes a guest performance at De Doelen in Rotterdam and
at the Opera of Lille in France. “Out Of The Blue” is performed for the first time in
Finland.
2007
“Out Of The Blue” tours Argentina and Peru. Premiere of the visual concert
“CelloCinema” with Eckart Runge from the Artemis Quartet and Jacques Ammon.
Working together with the Luxembourg Ensemble LUCILIN, “Tulles and his
Shadow”, a visual concert for children, is created. Premiere at the Philharmonie
Luxembourg.
2006
Out Of The Blue plays at the Goetheanum in Dornach and at the Fringe Festival in
Recklinghausen. Guest appearance of “Bonjour, Monsieur Satie!” at the
Philharmonie Luxembourg, with six sold out peformances.
2005
The Konzerthaus Berlin commissions Neander and von Bodecker to create a visual
homage to Erik Satie. Under the direction of Lionel Ménard, the musical pantomime
“Bonjour, Monsieur Satie!” celebrates its premiere in January 2005 and since then
has been a regular part of the playbill.
“Out Of The Blue” goes on tour to Luxembourg and Warsaw and debuts in Paris in
the prestigious Théâtre le Ranelagh.
Neander and von Bodecker are once again stage partners with Marcel Marceau on
his two-month tour of Germany. The duo look back upon this time fondly, as it was
the last tour with their master.
2004
Neander and von Bodecker act as Marcel Marceau's assistants during his tour of
Germany. “Out Of The Blue” tours Switzerland
2002 -2003
Bodecker & Neander take over the visual creation of a theatrical fashion show for
the Belgian designer Pascale Kervan entitled “Il Mimoda” at the Cirque Royal in
Brussels. Special guest is Marcel Marceau.
Tour to China for International Art Festival with ¡silence!. United States debut of “In
the Upper Room” by Philip Glass, together with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
In cooperation with the North-West German Philharmonie, a new visual concert, “La
Découverte”, based on Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 3, is created. Tour of Germany.
2001
Creation and premiere of “Out Of The Blue” in the Academy of Arts in Berlin,
directed by Lionel Ménard. Tour to the United Kingdom, Venezuela and Germany.
More tours with the Compagnie Marcel Marceau.
2000
ECLAT - the Festival of New Music - commissions Bodecker & Neander to create
theater performances set to music by eight contemporary composers. With the
London-based Arditti Quartet and the New Vocal Soloists in Stuttgart the works are
produced and directed by Lionel Ménard. “L'Etoile Filante” is premiered at the
Theater Stuttgart. Philip Glass arranges his music “In The Upper Room” for the
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and pantomime theater. With this, the third visual
concert “Romeo and Romeo” is produced. Performances at the Mercedes Forum
Stuttgart, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and at EXPO2000 in Hanover.
1999
In cooperation with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Octet, the “Concert Visuel en Françaix”,
homage to the French composer Jean Françaix, is premiered. This new genre is a
great success at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig and the Semperoper in Dresden.
¡Silence! wins the Audience Award at the Berlin Mime Festival and goes on tour to
Venezuela.
1997/1998
Tours with Marcel Marceau through Japan, Great Britain and Taiwan. Initial
concepts for a "visual concert" develop.
¡Silence! tours through Belgium and Germany. Marcel Marceau engages v. Bodecker
and Neander for his new mime drama “Le Chapeau Melon”, which is world
premiered in Munich's Prince Regent Theatre. Two-month guest appearance at the
Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris.
1996
The duo’s work together begins on a luxury liner. Among the diverse impressions
include numerous foreign countries.
PICURES
Video
Artikel Press Links
Kontact/Booking
Alexander Neander
Wolfram von Bodecker
post(ät)bodecker-neander.com
OFFICE: +49 30 679 21 460
Compagnie Bodecker & Neander
Käthe-Niederkirchner-Strasse 17
10407 Berlin, GERMANY
OFFICE: +49 30 679 21 460
Steuernummer: 31/453/62986
Bezirksamt Berlin Prenzlauer Berg
