User reviews

The Black Rider, a German folktale adapted for the stage by avant-garde theatre director Robert Wilson, eccentric musician Tom Waits, and gritty author William S. Burroughs, is perfectly captured in this performance by its original cast the Thalia Theatre Company of Hamburg, Germany. A young clerk, Wilhelm, loves Katchen, but her father Bertram will only allow her to marry a skilled huntsman. Wilhelm seeks the help of Pegleg (the Devil), who sells Wilhelm magic bullets for a deadly price. This dark, expressionistic musical is a visual feast of the highest artistic theatrical merit--the players move about the stage effortlessly as living poetry. The songs recall the style of Kurt Weill, as realized by the inimitable Tom Waits. While the music is sung in English, as is some of the dialogue, the majority of the play is recited in German. Burroughs's powerful text allows the story to unfold with tragic beauty. This presentation will astound intellectual theatre artists, but may be too much for the average musical-lover. Think Faust, Kander and Ebb's Cabaret, and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari all rolled into one amazing masterpiece performed as a twisted ballet. Exceptional and unforgettable.