2024-11-06 09:34:00
If while reading a book you giggle happily every few moments and laugh out loud every few minutes; if you like the writing style because the author can handle language and likes to show it almost to the point of vanity; If the narrator seems extremely familiar and you realize how much you missed him – then you have a new book by Joachim Meyerhoff in your hands. “You can also fall from heights,” they say.
In 2007, the actor, who was born in Hamburg in 1967, began his autofictional “All Dead Fly High” series. It began with memories of growing up as the son of a psychiatric director, his high school year in America and his first steps as an actor. Initially, Meyerhoff’s reading performances were the event, and in 2009 the trilogy “All Dead Fly High 1-3” developed at the Burgtheater was invited to the Berlin Theatertreffen. In 2010 he completed his six-part series of stage solos. But the book adventure was just beginning.
Volume two (“When will it finally go back to the way it never was”) in 2013 led back to his growing up as the son of the director of a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital in the German city of Schleswig, volume three (“Oh, this gap, this terrible gap “) let two worlds collide in a highly comical way in 2015: the grandson’s security with his grandparents and his simultaneous suffering at the renowned Otto Falckenberg School in Munich. “The togetherness of loners” was the name of volume four of the great Meyerhoff saga in 2017, which dealt with his first engagements in Bielefeld and Dortmund. In 2020, he described his stroke, which abruptly put a great career into question, and his hard efforts to regain his footing in life and on stage in volume five, “Hamsters in the Back Stream”.
According to the publisher, an incredible 2.8 million copies have been sold so far of the “All Dead Fly High” series: the actor as a best-selling author. And the journey continues. Irony of fate: The new book that the ex-Burg actor is presenting on November 19th at the Burgtheater, where he is returning as a guest in the direction of Stefan Bachmann, shows him at the bottom. He moved with his family from Vienna to Berlin to make a completely new start – and is very unhappy here. With the city and with himself. He struggles with Berlin, where he has not felt at home. He notices strong physical and character changes in himself that show him that, despite recovery and rehab, he is no longer the same as before. Things happened in his private life that shocked him. The man in his mid-fifties flees to the country. To his 86-year-old mother. From the very first moment, she presents herself as physically and mentally much fitter than the “dear son” (her preferred form of address).
What a constellation! The experienced actor uses confident literary means to turn it into a tragicomedy with slapstick elements. It is the return of the prodigal son to paradise – quite literally, because the park-like garden landscape on the Baltic Sea, which is looked after and cared for by the agile, almost hyperactive lady, is a refuge in which the world still seems to be in order – and gives the son every chance to get back on track. “You can also fall to heights” is a touching mother-son story, and Meyerhoff is at his best in the loving description of his mother and the close emotional relationship between the two people. She even takes on a reading for her son when he gets sick and inspires the audience.
The son finds his way back to life and to the desk. He writes a book called “Shame and the Stage” and records his most embarrassing theater memories. These are fun but conventional. The scandal at the birthday party of the nine-year-old son, which is repeatedly cited as the trigger for the husband and father’s flight into the mother’s womb and whose shift in the narrative forms the suspense element of the book, ultimately turns out to be significantly less dramatic.
The return to family life after a ten-week stay in the country is described as an expulsion from paradise: the adventurous mother falls in love and goes on a trip to Morocco with her new love. After that everything is different. The new life partner moves in with the mother, the son quickly feels out of place and packs up. Mother is not unhappy about it. “It was so nice that you were there. Really had time,” begins the final dialogue of the book on the beach, where you can literally see the credits roll by. “Yes.” – “Are you happy with what you wrote?” – “Hmm.” – “Do you think it will be a book?” – “I don’t know, mom.” – “To be honest, I would rather not appear in it.” – “Well bravo.”
Joachim Meyerhoff will make his acting comeback on the Burgtheater stage on March 1, 2025, in the role in “The McNeal Case” by Ayad Akhtar, which was played by Tom Hanks at the premiere in New York: a successful and narcissistic one Author in his mid-50s who, among other things, is confronted with his own physical decline and his family past. It fits.
(Von Wolfgang Huber-Lang/APA)
(SERVICE – Joachim Meyerhoff: “You can also fall high”, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 358 pages, 26.80 euros, readings on November 19th, 8 p.m., Burgtheater Vienna, and on November 20th, 12:30 p.m., Thalia.Buchhandlung W3 Wien Mitte, and 7.30 p.m., Buch Wien, ORF stage, Hall D)
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**Interview with Joachim Meyerhoff: Exploring Depths and Heights in His Latest Work**
*Date: November 6, 2024*
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Joachim. Your new book, “You Can Also Fall from Heights,” is set to be released soon. Can you tell us what inspired you to write this particular story?
**Joachim Meyerhoff:** Thank you for having me! This book is very personal to me. It explores my feelings of displacement after moving from Vienna to Berlin. I found myself grappling with not just my environment, but also changes within myself—both physically and emotionally. It was a challenging period, but in writing it, I aimed to turn those experiences into something relatable and humorous.
**Interviewer:** Your work often blends tragicomedy and personal narrative. How do you balance the lighter and darker elements in your writing?
**Joachim Meyerhoff:** It’s all about perspective. Life is filled with absurdities, and I believe that even in the darkest times, there’s room for humor. In this book, my relationship with my mother plays a central role; she’s portrayed as incredibly vibrant and full of life, even as I struggle. Her energy contrasts sharply with my own feelings of inadequacy, which creates that dynamic tension. I want readers to laugh while also reflecting on deeper themes of familial love and personal growth.
**Interviewer:** The “All Dead Fly High” series has sold an impressive 2.8 million copies. What do you think resonates most with readers?
**Joachim Meyerhoff:** I think it’s the authenticity. Readers seem to appreciate the rawness of my experiences—the idea that vulnerability is not a weakness but part of being human. My stories are infused with both the absurdity of life and a deep sense of longing and connection. Many people can relate to feeling lost at times, and I hope my journey provides them with some comfort or solace.
**Interviewer:** In “You Can Also Fall from Heights,” you depict a return to your roots. How does that theme of returning home play out in your narrative?
**Joachim Meyerhoff:** It’s quite literal and metaphorical. Returning to my mother’s home on the Baltic Sea is both a physical journey and a symbolic one. It represents seeking refuge in the familiarity of childhood, while also allowing for a re-examination of my life choices. My mother’s garden symbolizes order and nurturing—something I desperately needed as I faced my own chaos. It’s a sanctuary that reminds me of what truly matters, even amid all the turbulence.
**Interviewer:** Are there any specific moments or interactions in the book that you think will resonate particularly well with readers?
**Joachim Meyerhoff:** Absolutely. One poignant moment is when my mother reads for me during a time of illness. It’s sweet and touching, but also imbued with a sense of role reversal—the caregiver becoming the one cared for. It highlights our relationship and how it evolves over time. Those moments of tenderness, mixed with humor and our daily life quirks, are what I believe readers will cherish.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, what do you hope your readers take away from this new book?
**Joachim Meyerhoff:** I hope they find a mix of laughter and reflection. Life can be messy, but we can find beauty and connection in that messiness. I want readers to feel that regardless of their struggles, there’s always a way to connect with others, find humor, and rediscover themselves.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Joachim. We’re looking forward to the release of “You Can Also Fall from Heights”!
**Joachim Meyerhoff:** Thank you! I’m excited for readers to dive into this journey with me.
