In Niklas Rådström's play The Deafness, which is staged at Drottningholm Castle Theater, directed by Peter Langdal, depicts the life of composer Ludwig van Beethoven and his inability to hear.
Not only the music he writes, but also the emotional deafness he exhibits to his brother son Karl, embodied by Andreas T. Olsson - a fatherless youngster whom Beethoven won the custody of, and whom he called his son. But Beethoven, played by Johan Rabaeus, was really the uncle from hell and ruled him to such an extent that Karl tried to kill himself.
Niklas Rådström's play on Beethoven's last, stone-deaf year in life is generally historically correct. It is so accurate that several replicas are accurately reproduced. This is known thanks to the preserved conversational booklets that people wrote in order to communicate with the composer as his hearing became worse. With those props - here waving with a chalkboard and paper sheets - it is therefore possible to make scenic dialogue.
Beethoven's housekeeper , however, she ignores writing. She knows her troublesome husband both inside and out. Thoughts undoubtedly go to the old Bergman on Fårö… but here she can bite back in gory words. In Grynet Molvig's vintage a variation on the house cross with the heart in the right place.
And Rådström lets the house maid note that deafness is Beethoven's blessing.
Niklas Rådström has composed his lyrics very musically, but unfortunately the performance becomes rather tone deaf without a real sense of rhythm and silence. Johan Rabaeus is magnificent in his Beethoven outbursts, but gets stuck in mannish chopped phrasing. Overall, the ensemble's replica performance becomes proud on the border of amateur theater.
The Mozart character comes down from the Drottningholm sky as a charitable scherzo in the composition and allows us to sense both the mystique of the music and the humor seriously.
The show is very beautiful in the vintage Magdalena Åberg's vintage. Hopefully it can be recreated as the move goes to Dramaten and actors and musicians can more responsibly sharpen their efforts.