Press Reviews
A selection of press reviews concerning Dominique Caillat’s literary and theatrical work. For more reviews and information please click the title of the play or book in the text below or on the left side of this screen.
Literature
2007 La Paix ou la mort (Death or Peace)
“Remarkably well written… extremely sharp pen, devoid of complacency, always close to her conscience. I can only recommend this book.”
Jean-Marie Félix on Espace 2 (« Dare-Dare »)
”The very structure of the book brings us to the heart of the drama, since we follow the author – who has Israeli as well as Palestinian friends – in her meetings with actors on both sides. […] And emotion surges!... Beautiful choice of a literary form, which is enhanced by a compassionate attention to the suffering of the inhabitants of this (these) torn countries. Beautifully written, in a style that goes to the essential without being dry. The rare dialogues are accurate and the narrative form allows the reader to follow into the steps of the author. This book deserves to find a large public. Its title, ascertaining a fact, is a real warning.”
Monique Bermond, retired journalist and literary critic.
“EXCELLENT! Finally a woman who describes (and she does so remarkably) the contradictions of a conflict, but also of the people involved in it, without condemning them. It seems to me that I have experienced all the scenes that you describe and that I have heard this type of discourse. […] I have found in your book what I would have wished to write myself. I thank you! I intend to recommend it highly to those of my students who can read French!”
Dr. Annick Tonti, professor at the Swiss-Italian University (Lugano) and former head of the Swiss Mission to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
"Dominique Caillat's La Paix ou la mort is a necessary and enlightening book."
Scènes Magazine
Theatre
2009 Darwin‘s Confession
“Darwin’s Confession, a play by Dominique Caillat, successfully brings Darwin’s theory on stage. Darwin is viewed critically but emerges as a fascinating character. One leaves the wonderful theatre full of challenging ideas and sensual impressions.”
(Joerg Jermann, Basler Zeitung MZ)
“The play is fantastic from A to Z. It is simply remarkable, both from the point of view of evolutionary biology as in its artistic transposition… The social and political dimensions of social Darwinism, of eugenics and of modern biology, as well as their implications for future generations, for the world and life in general, are clearly shown. It is clear that absurdity is only belatedly recognized as such, a fact that is also true of our present times.”
(Heinz Richner, co-director of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Bern University)
2007 État de piège
“An overwhelming play that perfectly combines emotion and information… a very dense material, interwoven with historical, political, biblical, philosophical and psychological considerations… Under François Rochaix’s direction, Elzbieta Jasinska, Laurent Sandoz und Pierre Dubey give a very lively performance that borders on naiveté. A choice that may be irritating at times but which has the advantage of alleviating the drama, and which reflects the emotional effervescence typical of anyone living under the permanent threat of ‘execution’.”
(Le Temps)
“Dominique Caillat has a real literary talent… This illustration is carried out on stage with a rather commendable economy of means but an enormous wealth of arguments. Dominique Caillat knows her subject perfectly. Her observer status allows her to consider this political imbroglio with sensitivity and intelligence.”
(Jean-Marie Félix, Espace 2)
“An ambitious play by Dominique Caillat… succeeds in her aim to transmit a message that catches us through our emotions… One is moved by the sincerity of the two protagonists, who are stuck in their one-way logic… One is also overwhelmed by the terrible human waste involved in this conflict… The play races forward, says a lot… and is, most of all, charged with such humanity that we begin to apprehend this tragedy, which is so simple and so complicated at the same time.”
(Marie-Pierre Genecand, Espace 2)
2004 Kidnapping
“Using short sequences, an increasingly ominous soundtrack and alternately witty and earnest dialogues, the play covers essential stages of the conflict, such as the 6-Day-War and Rabin’s assassination, taking us all the way back to its biblical origin. The chronicle of events is clearly shown as chain of mishaps… Caillat manages to keep the balance between the fear and the plight of her characters, and does not stop short of gallows humour.”
(Theater der Zeit)
“A many-faceted, fair and witty play… In 90 minutes, Caillat and her co-director Michael Sturm analyse the seemingly unbreakable Middle-Eastern vicious circle. Sami and Lev … are burdened by their prejudices and deep-seated fear, which can hardly be overcome by reason alone.”
(Frankfurter Rundschau)
“The author/director manages thus to draw a picture of the situation which reveals both sides of the historical process, stimulating our feelings of sympathy… With its expressive style and intense acting, this production achieves a lot with only few means.”
(Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung)
“Kidnapping is a hard, cruel and brutal play, because it describes hard, cruel and brutal circumstances, the result of a chain of bloody misunderstandings over many centuries… The acting is at times so intense, that one literally shudders… Dominique Caillat and her actors have put up a production that manages to shock as well as give hope.”
(Bremer Nachrichten)
“An impressive, very tight production, both informative and stirring, not the least thanks to the inspired and committed performance of the actors.”
(Main-Rheiner Allgemeine Zeitung)
“Kidnapping at the Lübeck City Theatre: an impressive evening. The performance and the ensuing discussion proved worthwhile.”
(hl-live.de)
2003 Niemandsland
„A play that manages to be sensitive and striking at the same time, that is thought-provoking but never patronizing, that is so extraordinarily exciting and entertaining, deserves to become a runner… Fantastically directed by author Dominique Caillat… The public was enthusiastic… many hilarious moments… difficult themes are taken right out of day to day reality… produces a real shower of contradictory feelings…”
(Rheinzeitung Koblenz)
1999 Prologue, Scene and Epilogue for Hans Krásas opera Brundibár
“A most cleverly conceived Prologue by Dominique Caillat leads into the opera… A story subtly told, devoid of heaviness…When the narrator finally wishes that stars never have to be worn again, it is the end of a moving and in every moment inspired production of the Viennese Chamber Opera.”
(Der Kurier)
“A prologue and epilogue serve as a setting for Brundibár… The children overcome their helplessness with the power of fantasy… A moving encounter with a sad piece of history.”
(Der Standard)
“Great fantasy-filled theatre… An intelligent story by Dominique Caillat… An ideal production… The historical background, life in a concentration camp, is explained with the help of a narrator, effectively succeeding in filling a dead serious story with life and happiness.”
(Neue Kronen Zeitung)
1998 Wir gehören zusammen (We Belong Together)
“Caleidoscope of human destinies… Astonishingly symbolically loaded songs… Lively songs... Refreshingly relaxed....”
(Rheinzeitung Feuilleton)
“A remarkable play... A successful direction... A play in which words often fail, in which body language and music often say more than anything else... in which one often has shivers down the back.”
(Rheinzeitung Koblenz)
“The actors have studied the problems of life in post-war Germany intensively… and did real psychological theatre work... A convincing story and performance by the talented young actors of the 'Theater in der Vorburg'.”
(Bonner Generalanzeiger Feuilleton)
“It got under one's skin...”
(Stadtzeitung Andernach)
1997 Leb wohl, Schmetterling (Farewell Butterfly)
“Dominique Caillat: heroine of stage pedagogy... Precise, energetic and unwavering... All-out performance.”
(Die ZEIT no.15/2. April 1998)
“Leb wohl, Schmetterling - a great achievement of the performers - for the audience a profound experience... Extraordinary poetic moments... The humorous interruptions are never just funny but always deeply moving as well, being an expression of insatiable joy and desire to live.”
(Radio SWF 4 Blickpunkt)
“A well-written play, excellently built drama... A piece of theatre and at the same time a unique and outstanding lesson of history... The theatre crafts are perfectly put to use... The performers play as only children can, without prejudice, with unknowing naivety, and precisely because of this with such frankness and directness that the effect is overwhelming.”
(Radio S2 Kultur Aktuell)
“The actors succeed, thanks to an enormous power of expression and great depth of performance, to bring to life and relay the atmosphere of the ghetto, the permanent swaying between hope and despair, between the will to live and the loss of it... Dominique Caillat brings this very difficult theme most sensitively and nonetheless uncompromisingly on the stage, without ever falling into triviality. The young actors brilliantly succeed to convey emotion, without falling into the pits of exaggerated sentimentality - thanks, obviously, to a most careful preparation and study of the past... Recognition for a brilliant performance but also gratefulness towards a new, different generation of young Germans.”
(Israel News, Jerusalem)
“This is a play which recounts the German crimes by telling about the victims’ love of life... Human pain is a pervading theme but the real subject of the play is resistance, survival and hope of a future in spite of all the suffering. In the midst of the camp: education, music, theatre, games and a great tragic love... German children play in 1997 Jewish fates during World War II. The grandchildren confront the past with an intensity which one hopelessly awaited from many Germans after the war.”
(Rheinzeitung Feuilleton)
“I found the play very, very good. This is hard to believe, because the subject is so difficult. I have seen a number of plays on this theme already but I find that no other is quite as good as this one.”
(Radio Prague (German programme) and Austrian Radio (ORF), Interview with Eva Herrmannová, former Director of the Prague National Theatre)
“A shattering, exhilarating, sober, stirring, sad and overwhelming story about the Terezin ‘cultural ghetto’, emotionally and professionally performed on stage by the young actors.”
(KulturInfo Koblenz)
“Fascinating playing from the young actors, as one nowadays seldom experiences in the theatre"... “Devastating play about the persecution of the Jews”... “Unbelievable intensity”...”The viewing of Schindler's List is recommended for youths: that of Leb wohl, Schmetterling should be mandatory.”
(Rheinzeitung regional Mayen/ /Koblenz/ Andernach)
“This is something for television. It is done by youth but it is really so convincing that one can in no way question its truthfulness. In my opinion it is to be wondered how Dominique Caillat knew how to tell this story as she has done. Every sentence, every word is true. Such were the times.”
(Jan Jecha, a survivor of Terezin and Auschwitz, in the radio programme "Lieder, Leute, Landschaften" on SWF 4)
“I feel compelled to tell you how deeply the performance of your play Leb wohl, Schmetterling moved me. I saw myself taken back to the years of terror, of need and of fear of the next day. Your performance has described this in a most sensitive way, expressing the essence of those times. The actors, so carefully directed by you, gave their best. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my soul for this strong experience.”
(Ursula Geibel, whose mother was interned in Terezin)
“All of us survivors who saw this play, and who have seen so many previous attempts to recreate the past artistically, agree that ‘Farewell Butterfly’ belongs to the best. We want to find a way to bring this marvellous youth company to the Czech Republic.”
(Former prisoners of the Terezin concentration camp: Anna Lorencová, Eva Herrmannová, Olga Hoshková, Anna Hyndráková)
“An overwhelming production... Impressive performance brought about with incredible intensity by the youth actors... The jury was convinced by the comprehensive work over the past, the exciting and moving, never superficial or overburdened direction as well as the high-level of acting... Farewell Butterfly should not be described, it must be seen... It is with great admiration and respect that we present the "Theater in der Vorburg", represented by the author and director Dominique Caillat, with the main price of the 1998 Children and Youth Cultural Price of Rhineland-Palatinate.”
(Dr. Rose Götte, Minister of Culture of Rhineland-Palatinate, Price Giving Ceremony, September 7, 1998)
“I was enthusiastic about the production… The performance as well as the play are a deep emotional experience.”
(Avi Primor, Israeli Ambassador to Germany)
1996 Die Dreigroschenoper (Brecht/Weil), directed by D. Caillat
“Vibrant Brecht on tour... Brechtian success within the Cultural Summer Festival!... Dynamic, thrilling and sensitive... A remarkable ensemble performance for newcomers.”
(Rheinzeitung Culture)
“Highlight of the Summer Cultural Festival... Sold out performance... rousing performance.”
(Rheinzeitung Nassau)
“The youth company convinced with its performance of Die Dreigroschenoper in the Kulturfabrik in Koblenz… Dominique Caillat's interpretation was a delight for the eyes and the ears.”
(Rheinzeitung Koblenz)
1996 Brunos Traum (Bruno’s Dream)
“The audience was enthusiastic about the production.”
(Rheinzeitung Mainz)
“Impressive acting, enchanting story full of phantasy, humour and esprit.”
(Rheinzeitung Koblenz)
“Dominique Caillat achieved with this play an apotheosis of the myth of Mozart.”
(Rheinzeitung Andernach)
1995 Ein Schloss erzählt (A Castle Story)
“The production impressed through its lightness and pace... Loud cheers… Great success…”
(Rheinzeitung Neuwied/Andernach)
1994 Les Misérables
“A theatre maker of professional caliber... D. Caillat swirls non-stop between stage, technique and the hall, as if propelled by a turbocharger... corrects posture or voice, conveys earnestly or with wit the joy of performing, the techniques of powerful drama and silent emotions, the tone of dreams, the translation of feeling and imagination into movement… She works with great precision, concentration and energy …”
(Rheinzeitung Feuilleton, about a rehearsal)
1993 Caspar Hauser
"Manifold power of expression… A sensitive performance... Dominique Caillat's production was brilliant, avoiding superficial effects in favour of a directing style which went straight to the core of the situation."
(Rheinzeitung Andernach)
Theatrical Guided Tours
2000 Gladiator Valerius
"Trier has a new hero: a strong man named Valerius. He survived many years of brutal fighting and now tells about battles, in which a spear and a dagger were more important than well-crafted, sharp speech… The spectators are in awe, fascinated. And meanwhile, the word has got around that this is the cleverest historical show in town, so that many people hopelessly stand in queue, hoping for return tickets.”
(Trierischer Volksfreund)
2001 Der ewige Soldat (The Wandering Soldier)
“A very special theatrical “guided tour”. Hope and glory, war and disaster: 1000 years of History told in just 90 fascinating minutes – a great one-man-show.”
(Rheinzeitung Feuilleton)
“The Muse of Stolzenfels is literary dense, a highly atmospheric one-woman-show that requires enormous energy from the very talented Mira Walter… Caillat eloquently paints people and morals of past times… the public is fascinated.”
(Rheinzeitung Koblenz)