Comedy Club awarded
Max Geilinger Prize

At a presentation held at Miller's Studio in Tiefenbrunnen on the evening of Saturday November 30 2002, the Max Geilinger-Stiftung announced that the recipient of their prestigious award was the Zurich Comedy Club. The award has been presented only 12 times since 1969 to individuals for their promotion of the English language in Switzerland. This is the first time the award has been presented to an organisation.

Max Geilinger (1884-1948) was a Swiss author. His wife was English, and they shared a passion for all things English, particularly for the English language. Previous recipients of this award include authors, professors and researchers into the English language.

The Zurich Comedy Club has been performing at least twice a year to audiences in Zurich since 1954. Our last production , Oscar Wilde's "Lady Windermere's Fan", finished on November 22. Unlike other theatre companies Zurich Comedy Club productions regularly fill all 500 seats in the Zürich Seefeld Theatre. Our last production was sold out for every performance a week before the play opened.

Ray Bär, Comedy Club President was absolutely delighted when told of the honour the club was to receive, and accepted it on behalf of the pioneers who had started this totally unique venture... and all those who work, and worked so hard to make each production unique.

For the Max Geilinger-Stiftung, Frau Denise Wagner-Landolt in her Laudation said "The Zurich Comedy Club doesn't play in the background of our society, but rather plays an important role on the cultural landscape. During its 48-year history, the Zurich Comedy Club has secured a firm place in the cultural life of the city Zurich and has stamped its influence on the development of the literary and cultural connections between Switzerland and the Anglo-Saxon world in a refreshing way".

In line with the activities of the Comedy Club, the presentation evening, the theme of which was 'The Power of Language', included a selection of scenes from Shakespeare, some sonnets and some lighter theatrical material.

See also NZZ article >>