Jörg Schneider

Love and friendship, lies and betrayal - comedies often deal with existential themes. But not always. Sometimes everyday life is enough to pick up an audience and entertain them. The audience suddenly sees themselves as experts who can give an informed opinion on what is happening on stage: In the case of "Pantoffelheld" from 1983, it was probably primarily housewives, ironing men were rather the exception back then. Among them was the newly minted househusband Daniel, who struggles with an ironing board and creased jeans. Paul Bühlmann as his buddy Georges does a much more confident job.

The story is set at the beginning of the Christian era on a large terrace of Herod’s palace, during the reign of Herod Antipas. At night, on a terrace of the palace, Salome, Herod’s stepdaughter, is gazed at passionately by Narraboth, captain of the guard. Jochanaan, a prophet, is imprisoned in a cistern for having slandered Herod. He proclaims the coming of Jesus, but his message is met with incomprehension by the guards. Salome hears the prophet. She manages to convince the guards to bring Jochanaan out so she can see him. Both fascinated and frightened by his prophecies, Salome falls passionately in love with this man. Richard Strauss’s opera at the 2018 Salzburg Festival, directed by Romeo Castellucci at the Felsenreitschule. In her debut in the title role, Asmik Grigorian distinguished herself with her talents as a singer and actress.

On a summer morning, the opening of the trial in the Zurich District Court is scheduled for 8 a.m. The case of Marlene Faber and Nick Merk's divorce is being heard on the grounds of "mental cruelty." The couple is waiting outside the courtroom for their divorce and is reliving their marriage: from the honeymoon to the first quarrels and the end.

When Hans looks back, he must say: That was a good life! He saw the world, loved his wife Martha and yes, two, three things went wrong. But that doesn't need to be talked about. And now? Two years ago Martha died, Hans can barely manage his daily routine anymore, and after a visit to the vet his beloved dog Miller doesn't return home. Hans is tired. Basically he can't be bothered anymore. He wants to die. But one doesn't talk about this. At best maybe with Willi, his friend. He trusts in him, he considers him as his ally, who should help him implement his plan...

Kitsch author Johannes J. Bachmann is disappointed with life. He no longer has any ideas for his books, which are hardly read by anyone anyway - with the exception of his cleaning lady, Mrs. Hauser, who is constantly nagging him to continue his stories. His wife is gone and he has no more money either. His godchild Leo is also at the end of his tether and can no longer look to the future with confidence. So the two decide to leave together. Of course, things turn out differently: a robbery takes place in the bank opposite and the strange gang of gangsters hide out in Bachmann's apartment of all places. But the two hostages, Johannes and Leo, don't behave at all as expected. They are simply not afraid and rebel against the hostage-takers. This completely confuses the robbers.

Wanner, a man of independent means, has a mistress in Geneva. However, in order to spend a few days with her without risk, he decides to open a sales branch of a long-defunct company. He therefore hires a "trusted" employee in Geneva to look after the office premises, including the bedroom, and to provide his mistress with everything she needs. This arrangement works quite well at first, and Wanner enjoys this sweet diversion to the fullest until... well, until his wife wants to visit the branch and, above all, meet his business partner. Where can he conjure up a partner so quickly?

Rahel Hubli is employed as a civil registrar. She hasn't believed in the so-called "love of her life" in ages. But when a childhood friend, Ben, suddenly turns up, Rahel recalls again what it felt like to be in love. And that leads to even more problems, because Rahel is already married. And Ben would like to get married: by Rahel

No synopsis available yet.

Cunning genius or poor devil? Ex-office clerk Kurt is both: he uses false papers and fictitious people to collect heaps of social benefits. Papa State is a real goldmine for Kurt. But at some point the scam is exposed.

In a run-down hotel, only one room with two double beds is still available. The head porter, a former foreign legionnaire, and the shady hotel manager have double-booked this one room. First to an exhausted couple and then to a sales representative who is expecting his mistress, a dancer. But on this very day, his wife visits him as a birthday surprise. So now there are two couples and a dancer in one room, and even the pull-out folding screen is no solution. Everyone discovers a stranger, half-dressed, almost dressed, in the bathroom, in the beds, in the room.

Eddie Fischer is in a clinic to lose weight. For five days he is given nothing but lemon juice and mineral water. But on the sixth day he is supposed to be given yoghurt and crispbread, but just as he is making his emergency calls, the criminal Charlie Krumm enters and threatens Eddie Fischer, as he himself is not on a completely legal path. Eddie Fischer has no choice but to grant the criminal asylum. But when the police arrive, it turns into chaos and the two of them have to come up with a few ideas to avoid being found out.

SVP National Councillor Arthur Aebi has checked into the Parkhotel for a fling with SP secretary Anita Fröhlich. But when they go to admire the view, a dead body is found on the balcony. As nobody is allowed to know about the meeting between Aebi and Fröhlich, the body has to disappear. Aebi calls his secretary Willy Waser, who then gets involved in the whole mess, not entirely voluntarily.

Cab driver Hugo Meier is married to two women and lives at two addresses. He therefore lives according to a precise timetable. This has worked well so far. However, Hugo has an accident and can't get home. The two worried wives contact their police stations and ask for help. Two officers immediately do their duty and investigate. Hugo is now in dire need of help. With the not entirely voluntary help of his friend and neighbor Oskar Stöckli, Hugo leads the officers and the wives into a labyrinth of fantastic excuses and ludicrous lies. Harmless wives are transformed into hysterical bitches and well-meaning friends into hot-blooded, gay seducers.

Farmer Heiri has sold his calf and celebrates his temporary wealth in the big city. But in doing so he is confronted with many temptations and dangers: pickpockets, second-rate artists and prostitutes who all try to grab the money of this naive man from Hausen. A 1978 recording of the well-known Zurich boulevard theatre piece.

No synopsis available yet.

Karl Käppeli, strapped for cash after funding his daughter’s wedding, must launch a 1920s–themed ad campaign for a brassiere factory just before the ceremony. His world is disrupted when an enchanting dancer sets her sights on him, yet curiously, only Karl seems aware of her presence.

No synopsis available yet.

It was supposed to be a cozy poker night among men in Benni's dingy apartment. One person is still missing from the group, namely Albert, when suddenly a call comes in from his wife. She has kicked her husband out of the apartment, can no longer stand his hypochondria and perfectionism, and wants a divorce. Benni relents and takes his dejected friend in when he finally joins the poker game.

No synopsis available yet.

Every Sunday, Stämpfli receives a visit from his daughter Julia and son-in-law Peter. And every Sunday, the grandfather is told that this is an exhausting, long journey, so the visit can only be very short. It's understandable that these obligatory visits are a rather sad experience for the old man.

No synopsis available yet.

Hubert, who is having fun with his employee Jenny and doesn't notice that - along with other valuables that are rapidly losing value in comparison - his suit is stolen. How to get home? How to explain to his wife that he would be performing in an Adam costume if he actually made it home without being arrested as an exhibitionist?

No synopsis available yet.

It's director Oberholzer's sixtieth birthday. His wife and daughter Anna receive the guests who are invited to the feast, with a dish of pike as the main course. But suddenly, the celebration turns sour at the appearance of an unexpected guest - namely Oberholzer's brother Alois, the black sheep of the family, who disappeared years ago. As it turns out, Alois has since changed his name to "Obolski" and become ringmaster of a major circus. Him and his wife Iduna quickly threaten the morals and standards of the bourgeois party, and they proceed to turn the boring proceedings into a turbulent circus show. Fortunately, after much confusion, the story ends happily - altough the pike has burned black in the oven!

A family spends three summer days in a beautiful lake mansion close to Berlin. Together with her new lover, Irene visits her brother Alex, who still inhabits the house with Irene's writer son Konstantin. Konstantin's girl-friend pops in, too, and all of them drift away from each other more and more.

Farmer Heiri has sold his calf and celebrates his temporary wealth in the big city. But in doing so he is confronted with many temptations and dangers: pickpockets, second-rate artists and prostitutes who all try to grab the money of this naive man from Hausen. A 1978 recording of the well-known Zurich boulevard theatre piece.

Every Sunday, Stämpfli receives a visit from his daughter Julia and son-in-law Peter. And every Sunday, the grandfather is told that this is an exhausting, long journey, so the visit can only be very short. It's understandable that these obligatory visits are a rather sad experience for the old man.