Timm Thaler or The Stolen Laughter

About the show

James Krüss's celebrated 1957 children's novel comes to the stage in this musical adaptation for young audiences. Timm Thaler possesses an infectious laugh that touches everyone around him. When the mysterious Baron Lefuet offers him the ability to win any bet in exchange for his laughter, Timm agrees, seduced by the prospect of riches. He signs a binding contract requiring absolute secrecy, under penalty of losing his winning ability without recovering his laughter. Quickly, Timm discovers that wealth means nothing without the ability to laugh genuinely. He embarks on a long journey—from Hamburg by ship to Genoa, then by private airplane across the world's major cities—in search of the Baron to reclaim what he has lost. The production, directed by Robert Gerloff, unfolds as a musical spectacle featuring new songs by Eva Jantschitsch and composer Imre Lichtenberger Bozoki, marking the inaugural production at the newly relocated venue of the Young Theatre.