After over 450 performances in the late 1980s, the Swiss dialect version of "Charley's Aunt" is celebrating a brilliant comeback. Rolf Knie, then as now as the supposed Brazilian aunt in the title role, will be touring German-speaking Switzerland again with the turbulent comedy from March 2025. In our short interview, he tells us how much he still enjoys it at the age of 75.
event: What made you decide to take on this role again after such a long time?
Rolf Knie: "I thought to myself: if I don't do it now, I'll never be able to do it again physically. When I asked my old colleague, actor Ruedi Haas, if we wanted to try it again, he was skeptical, but in the end it was a surprising success."
And what was it like for you to take on the role again? Was it any different to back then?
I enjoy it just as much as I used to. Maybe I enjoy it even more now because I know it's the last time. Back then I was at the beginning of my stage career, now I'm coming full circle.
What is the timeless fascination of this stage romp?
"Charley's Aunt" has been around since 1892, right?
Yes, that's right. The play has been performed and filmed by many great actors. The author Hans Gmür wrote it for me back then, strongly influenced by my circus experiences and slapstick elements. I remember him always telling me: "Watch the movie with Peter Alexander." But I wanted to play it authentically in my own way. This collaboration proved successful and we performed it over 420 times. Audiences still laugh in the same places today as they did 30 years ago: The play is an evergreen."
How does the current production differ from the version from the 1980s?
"The main gags have remained, but with the new ensemble and director, fresh elements have been added. It's no longer one-to-one like it used to be - new ideas have enriched the play."
Was physical fitness a challenge?
I'm fit, but slapstick scenes like jumping on shoulder rests require preparation. I do stretching exercises before every performance to avoid strains.
You lived in seclusion on Mallorca for many years. Did you miss the stage?
"Quite the opposite! After my stage career, I enjoyed the peace and quiet. Nobody knew me in Mallorca - I worked around the clock in the studio. I had given up the pressure of being in front of an audience."
How did the audience react to the revival?
I was particularly pleased with the praise from critics who initially doubted whether the revival would work. Convincing fans is easy - but when even former skeptics say "Chapeau!", it's particularly satisfying.
The plot of the play, which premiered in 1892, remains timeless: two students urgently need a chaperone for a romantic meeting - when Charley's Brazilian aunt cancels at short notice, her friend Lord Babberly (played by Knie) steps in without further ado in a wig and silk dress. What begins as a harmless masquerade develops into a whirlwind of misunderstandings and slapstick interludes.
"My expectations have been exceeded by far," reveals Knie in view of the current tour, which has already recorded 33 sold-out performances since January 2024. A success that follows on from the legendary first edition, when 172,000 visitors stormed the performances.
Under the direction of Jan Bodinus, the farce by Brandon Thomas in the Swiss-German version by the legendary Hans Gmür (1927-2004) is presented with a breath of fresh air. Alongside Knie, Maja Brunner, Christoph Wettstein and Patric Scott shine in leading roles. Despite careful modernization, the core of the turbulent comedy of mistaken identity remains the same: A student flirtation plan gets out of control when the titular chaperone fails to show up and a fake replacement has to step in without further ado.
Due to the continuing popularity, the tour has been extended until spring 2025. The premiere of the additional performance series will take place on March 15, 2025 at Entra Rapperswil.
