Thunerseespiele – "DÄLLEBACH KARI"

Every year on the shore of Lake Thun, looking over to the world-famous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains, over 80'000 visitors enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Thunerseespiele productions. Come and admire the world’s best musicals and equally outstanding own productions. Enter into a fairytale world of fantasy, dreams and emotions and enjoy an unforgettable summer evening on the shore of Lake Thun with the whole family.

The programme consists of classics of the world stage such as “Cats”, “Evita”, “West Side Story”, “Mamma Mia” and “Ich war noch niemals in New York”.The creative team at the Thunerseespiele has in recent years also brought award-winning in-house productions such as “Dällebach Kari” and “Gotthelf” to the stage. In the summer of 2023, the Thunerseespiele once again present the emotional story of "Dällebach Kari", a true character of Bern. The director and choreographer Simon Eichenberger will oversee the musical. Having been responsible for the choreography of the same show in 2010, this year he also directs the performance.

Because of his harelip and a speech impediment, Kari found it very difficult to integrate and was often teased. Constantly struggling for recognition, he turned to ingenious witticisms. In 1900 Kari opened a hairdressing salon; in the same year, he fell in love with Annemarie, a factory owner’s daughter. However, the parents of Annemarie refused to accept her relationship with the Bernese hairdresser. At a loss to cope with his anguish, Kari sank into misery and loneliness, seeking comfort in alcohol. Even when Annemarie and Kari got back together, Kari was unable to stop drinking. Then a cancer diagnosis threw the famous Bernese hairdresser completely off track. Tragically, he took his own life in 1931. To this day, the people of Bern celebrate the humour and the anecdotes of Dällebach Kari. The musical will immerse theatregoers in the story while entertaining them with Kari’s hilarious sayings and witticisms.

Treat yourself to a delicious dinner or a light snack at the venue before visiting the musical. A range of culinary options is available. Please note that a reservation is required. For spontaneous visitors, there is a self-service restaurant in the musical garden with themed food. Besides their famous gastronomic delights, the Thun musical-makers also offer a backstage tour before the performance where you can find out more about the production and take a look behind the scenes.