Since it was founded in 1972, MUMMENSCHANZ has delighted audiences and electrified theaters all over the world. For its anniversary production – aptly titled “50 Years” – the Swiss multi-award-winning troupe will be taking audiences on a journey of imagination and poetry, showcasing the most beloved sketches from the foundation’s repertoire over the past half-century.

Since it was founded in Paris in 1972, MUMMENSCHANZ has been a global touchstone for contemporary mask-based theater that transcends cultures and linguistic boundaries. The theater company’s three founders, Floriana Frassetto, Andres Bossard, and Bernie Schürch, conquered the world without saying a single word but using a purely visual language of unsupported masks against a black background. As MUMMENSCHANZ, they carved out a new niche in the performing arts.

With Andres Bossard’s passing in 1992 and Bernie Schürch’s retirement in 2012, Floriana Frassetto remains as the main artistic driving force behind the multi-award-winning troupe. The foundation has put on a host of full-length productions over the past 50 years. The masks, performance techniques, and repertoire have all evolved over the course of more than 100 productions, and MUMMENSCHANZ has used them to great effect on every continent. A half-century after it was founded, the troupe continues to be one of the most popular theater attractions worldwide and is adored by critics and audiences alike.

To mark the foundation’s anniversary, Floriana Frassetto – the poet of silence – has devised a production that will take the public on a 50-year journey through the fascinating world of MUMMENSCHANZ. It will take a look at the most popular, successful productions of years gone by, featuring legendary characters such as the Clay Masks and the Toilet Paper Faces. “50 Years” will also see appearances by the delicate, air-filled Giants, the Pipe Creature, and plenty of other bizarre objects and shapes brought to life by the troupe’s five performers. The production will also include sketches featuring surprising new forms and characters that capture the signature MUMMENSCHANZ spirit.

This is an anniversary production without words or music. An imaginative, poetic journey that needs no subtitles. “50 Years”: taking audiences on a magical, captivating two-hour journey through the infinite – yet familiar — world of imagination conjured by MUMMENSCHANZ.

Fifty years on from its foundation, the “musicians of silence” are continuing to practice their craft. As curious and ready for a challenge as ever, MUMMENSCHANZ takes everyday objects and gives them a new lease of life. With its “50 Years” production, MUMMENSCHANZ is taking a look back at its history – while writing the next chapter in its story of inimitable, non-verbal language. “50 Years” is a playful, interactive experience and a poetic production for all generations.