The Fisherman and his Wife

The fisherman sits and waits for a fish to bite. To his amazement the fish that he catches is an enchanted one: one that grants the fisherman and his wife many wishes... What their wishes are you will find out from the fisherman’s repeated, and repeated, and repeated trips to the sea… Nicole and Martin conjure up an entire glorious play out of a single wooden box: the ocean, the long table in the castle, an emperor’s finery and even the sun itself. This joyful and popular show is a rollercoaster theatrical journey from one wish to the next, until the biggest wish of them all. Suitable for anyone aged 6 and above. Duration: 70 minutes



And after you have had come true
Your most deeply fervent wish,
You triumph and rejoice out loud:
"At last I can know peace."
Ah dearest do not speak so bold,
Tame now your wild tongue,
For every wish once granted,
Gives birth to its fervent young.
(Willhelm Busch 1909)

Premiere: Costa (Ticino, Switzerland), 2 May 1999
Author: Based on the version by the Brothers Grimm, from an ancient oral tradition
Adaptation for Theatre: Nicole & Martin
Performance: Nicole and Martin Gubler-Schranz
Director: Dominique Saner, Nicole & Martin
Co-Writer and Collaborative Director: Kate Higginbottom
Choreography of artistic parts: Szilard Szekely
Costumes, artistic consultant: Maria Lehman-Wipplinger
Musical arrangements: Nicole Gubler-Schranz
Light design: Christophe Siegenthaler

Support
Sophie and Karl Binding Foundation, Migros Kulturprozent and Margrit Bieri