Hand aufs Herz – Kammerspiele der Josefstadt, Vienna

Erwin Steinhauer in Hand aufs Herz at Kammerspiele der Josefstadt, Vienna. Picture: Jan Frankl

Hand aufs Herz continues in rep at Kammerspiele der Josefstadt, Vienna.

Erwin Steinhauer returns to the Kammerspiele der Josefstadt in a new show entitled Hand aufs Herz (Hand on the Heart). This semi-autobiographical one-man piece is based on an idea by Steinhauer and Peter Rosmanith, with a book by Heli Deinbook, who also wrote the lyrics with Heinz R.Unger. Steinhauer sings covers of famous Austrian pop songs (partly with new lyrics) and brand new compositions by his band Seine Lieben, Otto Lechner and Klaus Trabitsch. The show is set on MS Alcatraz, on which Steinhauer plays entertainer Erschy Heart.

Many of the songs criticise society, some are funny, and others are about people close to him (his daughter, for example). Act I ends with an alarm and the sinking of the ship, which results in the three-piece band being more involved in the story. By the end of Act II, Steinhauer has explained that the survivors are on an island and about to be picked up by a helicopter. He manages to combine elements of a music cabaret with a play but never loses track of the narrative.

Also playing guitar and ukulele, Steinhauer proves himself a real entertainer, sings well (although he isn’t a trained vocalist) and is joined by a band consisting of Georg Graf (vocals, bass, guitar and wind instruments), Joe Pinkl (keyboard, trombone, tuba and melodica) and Peter Rosmanith on percussion. The sets and costumes are by Enid Löser, lighting design by Manfred Grohs and sound design by Robert Gillard.

Steinhauer is an incredible actor, he knows how to make an audience laugh, but he also knows how to make them think.

Ludovico Lucchesi Palli

www.josefstadt.org