Ralf Bauer „Das Lächeln am Fuße der Leiter“

About the Author Henry Miller “Among Henry Miller’s works, this fable of the possessed self seeking to find itself—of the clown, his smile, his trance, the moon, and the ladder—holds the status of a masterpiece. Here, in the ceaseless search for purity and bliss, a voice is heard speaking of the utopia of self-realization—a poetic call to happiness.” Henry Miller, the German-born outsider of modern American literature, who grew up in Brooklyn, where he lived through World War I and the Great Depression, belonged to the Parisian circles of the “American Exiles” until the start of World War II. Seemingly unscathed by the “clamor of the world,” he created, alongside his taboo-breaking work—which would become the foundation for the “Beat Generation”—this timeless figure of the clown August, who seeks to bestow true happiness upon humanity. August, untouched and “unblemished by the general misery, has seemingly gained freedom, experiences the moment in all its grandeur, radiates, and this radiance around him is an everlasting song of joy. The circus opens a tiny gap in the arena of oblivion...” About Ralf Bauer In Hamburg, Ralf Bauer attended the “Stage School of Dance and Drama” (1988 to 1990). He also took acting lessons with Eric Morris in Los Angeles. He began his television career in 1990 as the host of the popular children’s and youth program “Disney Club.” He gained widespread recognition through the successful ARD early-evening series “Gegen den Wind,” in which he took on the lead role of the “sunny boy” Nik alongside Hardy Krüger Jr. starting in 1993. His 1996 film debut as a charming lover in Sharon von Wietersheim’s romantic comedy “Workaholic” brought him further acclaim. This was followed by roles in television productions, including the ZDF series “Küsse niemals dein Chef,” “3 Tage Angst,” as well as the TV movies “Tristan und Isolde” and “Wüstenrose.” He also delivered compelling performances in guest roles on the cult crime series “Tatort” and in other TV productions. On the big screen, Ralf Bauer appeared in 1998 in Felix Dünnemann’s “Caipiranha,” a zany farce about an escalating neighborhood feud, and took on the lead role as a not-so-successful womanizer in “Helden und andere Feiglinge.” Gabriel Barylli subsequently cast him in his cinematic love story “Wer liebt, dem wachsen Flügel.” The versatile actor never confined himself to a single genre. He is equally at home in light evening television entertainment (“Mama und der Millionär”) as he is in Oscar Roehler’s relationship drama “Der Alte Affe Angst.” In 2010, Oskar Roehler cast Ralf Bauer once again for his feature film “Jud Süss – Film Without Conscience.” Alongside his film career, Bauer continued to thrive in the theater. In 1999, Wolfgang Kaus, director of the Frankfurt Volkstheater, became aware of Ralf Bauer through a talk show and offered him the role of “Faust.” Bauer, who has a personal fondness for classics, made his theater debut in the multifaceted role of Goethe’s hero. In 2002, the Karlsruhe native went on a theater tour with Bill C. Davis’s play “Der Priestermacher” alongside Joachim Fuchsberger. (2nd prize at IntheGa). Since then, Bauer has remained devoted to the theater. He effortlessly crosses genre boundaries. He has performed in Shakespeare plays such as “Julius Caesar” and “Romeo and Juliet,” as well as starring in the romantic comedies “Gut gegen Nordwind,” “Alle 7 Wellen,” and “Das Lächeln der Frauen.” In the summer of 2010, he played the title role in the production of “Jedermann” in front of Frankfurt Cathedral. He has been touring German-speaking countries for many years with his self-developed literary programs “Bauer sucht Christkind” and “Bauer in Love.”