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Musicals and Shows

Michel Gammenthaler: People are too uptight today

07/05/2018 written by Michel Imhof
Michel Gammenthaler has been performing his comedy and magic programs on stage for twenty years. We met him for an interview and talked to him about his current program "Hä?", today's society, hair trends among magicians and David Copperfield.

event: Hi Michel. Is that what you call yourself abroad?
Hä? Yes, why?

We share the same first name, and I know that can lead to funny situations abroad.
(Laughs) That's right. Once during my language study trip, my host mother talked to the neighbor and said: "The boy's name is really Michel, like a girl!" It's also funny how many people hear "Michel", i.e. know how to say it, and then say Michael anyway.

Before that, you reacted to my opening question with a "Huh?". That's also the name of your program.
Exactly. It's the reaction when people see a good magic trick. And when they hear weird observations in a comedy program. My programs combine comedy and magic.

His current program is called "Hä?": A reaction to a good magic trick and a surprising joke. Photo © Mirco Rederlechner
You're not allowed to say "Huh?", that's disreputable.
In my job, you're allowed to say more than you would otherwise. That's what makes a fool.

How often do you have to use clichés in comedy?
It depends what kind of humor you choose. It's important that the audience recognizes itself in the stories. The best way to do that is through clichés. If an audience member doesn't recognize themselves at all, I lose their attention.

What would you never joke about?
I always find it difficult when topics are generally excluded. Humor has to be free. In general, life becomes difficult with too many regulations. We have so many parallel worlds today: On the one hand, you can visit porn sites on the internet, flirt wildly back and forth on Tinder, but in the office you hardly dare to ask someone you like for a coffee together anymore. I would find it difficult to be young today.

Are people too sensitive today?
Yes. If you only tackle a small cliché these days, you can catch a complaint. After all, it's the differences that make us interesting. You can make fun of a cliché in a loving way. I had a gay character that I played all the time and my gay friends all had no problem with it. Only some self-proclaimed moralizers I didn't know saw a problem with it. We are very uptight as a society.

Which cliché applies to you?
That I'm a slob as an artist. I work a lot, but today, for example, I thought I'd stay in bed a little longer. That's why I often work until the middle of the night.

Let's move on to magic: do you still have the magic box that got you into magic?
No. I'm not a collector and throw things away easily. In this case, that's a shame.

Many magicians seem to have the same hairdresser.
(Laughs) Yes, not me. I've noticed that too. It takes a lot of hairspray, bleach and even a wind machine. When I see these clichéd magicians, I feel a bit ashamed of my profession. It's totally silly and exaggerated.

With the women being sawn up in a box.
Exactly. You could also start there in terms of equality and ask: Why are they always women?

Good point. Are you impressed by magicians like David Copperfield?
Yes, not because I don't know how, but because I know how the tricks work. These are huge projects that require great thinking and great logistics when David Copperfield makes entire train carriages disappear. He is a pioneer and has brought magic into the 21st century.

This year marks your 20th anniversary on stage. How are you celebrating?
That's right, I have. And I noticed it recently rather by chance. I'm not celebrating it in particular. But my current program is going great, a nice anniversary present.

MICHEL GAMMENTHALER
18.+19.5.18, Casinotheater Winterthur
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Translated with DeepL