CHLÖISU - Reality Isn't Everything.
The journey into the depths of the human psyche by Bern-based musician Chlöisu Friedli and his album "Wohäre geisch?" explores the theme of suicidal tendencies.
In Marco Michel’s new one-man show, Friedli’s eventful life is brought to the stage. The play is based on extensive research and numerous interviews with Friedli’s family and friends. Yet the performance goes beyond a mere biography, hovering between the constructs of “reality” and “fantasy.” Like Friedli, the audience occasionally loses its footing and must find new ground to stand on. For reality is less reliable than it seems—and fantasy is a central component of its creation.
They do exist, these unique characters who shape the image of cities and scenes—Chlöisu Friedli (1949–1981) was one of them. In the 1970s, the pianist introduced Bernese German to the blues and was perhaps the only true blues musician Switzerland has ever seen. In addition to his pronounced zest for life and his passion for music, his life was also repeatedly marked by crises and long hospital stays, despite—or perhaps because of—which he developed his very own, unmistakable musical style. It is the story of a tightrope walker who was gradually pushed to the margins—until he boarded a train where there was no Bahnhof, thereby bringing his life to a premature end.
Translated with DeepL
