Zack bumm!”: Musiktheater für Kinder uraufgeführt

The production of Zack bumm! represents a strategic shift toward accessibility and mobility in children’s theater. By eliminating a traditional libretto, Naske has created a work that transcends linguistic barriers, making the production inherently suitable for international guest performances. The only spoken text in the entire piece is the titular phrase, Zack bumm!, which serves as the sole communicative capacity of the protagonist.

Minimalist Design and International Accessibility

The conceptual framework of the production emphasizes minimalism and travel-compatibility. This approach is evident in the set and costume design handled by Hanna Naske and the direction of Ela Baumann. By stripping away the complexities of a written script and elaborate staging, the company has ensured that the production can be transported and performed in various global venues without the need for translation or extensive technical overhaul.

This design choice shifts the narrative burden from dialogue to physical action and musical cues. For an audience of children aged six and older, the lack of text encourages a more intuitive engagement with the story, relying on the visual and auditory elements to convey emotion and plot progression. While this minimalism streamlines the logistics of touring, early reactions to the premiere suggest it may impact the perceived scale of the show; some observers noted that despite a concluding flight show, the production remained relatively understated in its spectacle.

Musical Storytelling and the Character of Sigmund

The narrative centers on Sigmund, a small bird who suffers a fall from his nest. The impact of the fall leaves him with a specific cognitive or vocal limitation: he is unable to speak any words other than Zack bumm!. The plot follows Sigmund’s interactions within a stylized forest environment, where the emotional weight of the story is carried by the musical score.

Naske utilizes a specific instrumental palette to give voice to the forest’s inhabitants. Rather than using human actors to speak for the animals, the production assigns specific instruments to represent different characters. The voices of the fox, deer, mice, squirrels, wild boar, and bear are rendered through the use of bassoon, clarinet, oboe, and percussion. This assignment of timbre to character creates a sonic map for the audience, allowing them to identify the animals and their temperaments through sound alone.

The musical direction provides a contrast between the supportive, loving nature of Sigmund’s parents—whose characterization is handled by puppeteer Katharina Halus—and the broader community of forest animals who generally coexist in harmony. The use of the oboe, played by Tanja Beranek, adds a specific melodic layer to this animal ensemble, reinforcing the atmospheric quality of the forest setting.

Collaborative Execution at the Wiener Konzerthaus

The premiere at the Berio-Saal highlights a tight collaboration between several specialized artists. The physical presence of the animals is achieved through puppets designed and built by Rebekah Wild. These figures are brought to life by Katharina Halus, whose performance must bridge the gap between the instrumental “voices” and the visual actions of the characters.

The integration of these elements—the minimalist set, the specialized puppet work, and the instrumental characterization—positions Zack bumm! as an experiment in non-verbal communication. By leveraging the resources of the Wiener Konzerthaus, Naske has tested a model of theater that prioritizes musicality over literary structure. This allows the production to function more like a choreographed musical suite than a traditional play.

As the production moves forward, its success will likely be measured by its ability to maintain engagement through these minimalist means. The removal of a libretto is a gamble on the power of music to convey a complete narrative arc. While the premiere provided a baseline for this approach, the true test of the travel-compatible concept will occur as the piece moves into international markets where the absence of a language barrier becomes its primary competitive advantage.