In Himmel Vorusse. Musical performance, Theatre Basel.

Director Tom Ryser’s ‘Leiderabend’ is funny and highly enjoyable, with a good selection of song and versatile singing. The wholly female cast perform songs from different epochs, different genres and different languages: varying from Allegri’s Miserere to the Beatles’ Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. All of which are tenuously linked by the story that Basel and the world are no more. The ladies find themselves somewhere between heaven and earth in the waiting rooms for Souls; dressed curiously in white raincoats and equipped with white umbrellas.

 I particularly liked the inventive staging and this curious mix of singers, from different musical backgrounds. The cast included two marvellous singers from the Musical Hair, who are both natural comics. The other ladies are from Basel’s opera chorus, singing an amazing range of semi-pop, semi-rock, and classical music. In addition, the ‘Mädchen Kantorei’ (girls’ choir) sings from the Gallery up behind the audience, with their faces projected onto balloons over the stage. They have great fun teasing the Souls who are desperate to understand where they are going and what on earth is going on.

 While there’s a small amount of dialogue in German linking the songs, the majority of the songs are in English, so whatever your language skills, you’ll find this an entertaining evening.

 The last performances are 7 & 12 March, so don’t miss it! Check out: www.theatre-basel.ch for dates and performance times till then.