Okay, I've now found a summary of the musical, and the SD/Grumbkow affair isn't the only attempt at more het. There's also Wilhelmine/Katte, which is presumably why the Fritz tumblr fandom has issues with this one.
The framing narration is old Fritz the hermit, at Sanssouci, dictating his memoirs, when ghostly Katte shows up. Old Fritz sends the writer home and talks with ghostly Katte about his life, as ghostly Katte reminds him who he used to be. Cue flashback to his youth; FW is FW, Fritz and Wilhelmine sing their song, then it's off to Dresden, with Wilhelmine and Katte. Fritz gets deflowered by Orzelska, Wilhelmine and Katte fall in love, which Fritz isn't happy about. (Summary doesn't say which of them he's jealous of.) FW nearly beats Fritz to death, Fritz and Katte decides to flee, which is the Act 1 cliffhanger ending.
After the break, we catch up with Katte and Wilhelmine arguing about the escape plan. Fritz gets caught and incarcarated. Grumbkow uncovers that Katte was part of the plan. FW gives the execution in front of Fritz order. At which point Old Fritz interrupts the goings on, and it's clear he can't bear to remember the exeution and that this is the central trauma of his life. He takes over the narration and skips to his first year of Kingship, MT ascending and him using the chance to invade Silesia and becoming Frederick the Great.
Next, the musical skips forward to Voltaire's song and Fritz trying to live the artistic life at Sanssouci. Disaster ensues. Then Wilhelmine visits and is shocked about how he's changed. He gets an FW style temper outburst when she says so, and the ensuing 7 Years War is also a way to numb his unhealed grief, not that it works. He has the self realising song "Ebenbild" and finishes the war outwardly victorious but as a broken and now completly lonely man.
At which point the tale has caught up with the beginning. Ghostly Katte helps him to face the anbearable memory he's been running from all his life and then Fritz finally is able to let go, find peace and die in the final song, reuniting with Katte and Wilhelmine in the finale.
On the one hand, it's a bit Freud for dummies - i.e. peace comes when he's finally able to confront the most traumatic memory, his seaking military glory is solely because of Dad (I'm more with Mildred - Dad influenced how he sought it, but even if FW had been treating him like AW, he'd have become and expansionist monarch) - and of course the SD/Grumbkow (I assume this is how Grumbkow finds out about Katte?) and Wilhelmine/Katte affairs are gratituous heterosexualisation, bot otoh if I understand the summary correctly Old Fritz is on stage with Katte's ghost the entire time, arguing about his life, and as far as narrative ideas for a 2 hours stage version go, that's not a bad one.
Thanks for the summary! I had seen gifsets and screenshots and reviews (complaining about the gratuitous het) and such, but not a breakdown that lays out the plot structure so clearly.
Wilhelmine and Katte fall in love, which Fritz isn't happy about. (Summary doesn't say which of them he's jealous of.)
Let's be real. If Wilhelmine fell for Katte and let it be known, the three of them would have jumped all over a ménage à trois. Not saying jealousy would never have reared its ugly head, not with two of them deeply psychologically scarred and the third still a product of the 18th century, but if W and K were getting along, Fritz might well have seen this as an opportunity rather than something to complain about. ;)
FW, on the other hand...
Old Fritz is on stage with Katte's ghost the entire time, arguing about his life
I can't decide whether my reaction is <3 or </3, but either way, it hurts so good. Much like someone arguing with a certain best enemy ghost in 1780 and wondering where all his other ghosts are. :-(
Aw, thanks. <3. Note that back when all my fictional speculating started, with the scenario for Fritz: The TV Show for five seasons, I did bring Katte's ghost back in s5 as well. Let's face it, if you're covering Fritz for longer than Küstrin, it's pretty much the only way in which Katte gets to have some narrative space beyond a short part of it.
Not that I expect the musical to go into depth with this, because, you know, musical, meaning most stage time will be covered by songs, not dialogue, but I do find the Katte & Old Fritz combination a challenging and intriguing dramatic premise to pull off, if, that is, one has Katte as an actual character as opposed to a part of Fritz' imagination (in the way the tv show Six Feet Under uses its "ghosts" to comment as a post modern way to replace the dramatic monologue about one's innner state). I know the Mobster AU writer has done it, but that's a Fritz who actually has had therapy and has a current good life, and the one significant relationship he's in - with AU Algarotti - is encouraging and functional, and hence this old Fritz is already in a very different emoitonal and psychological state than the real deal would have been in the 80s (or even in the 70s, if you want to have ghostly Katte show up earlier). Because if ghostly Katte is an actual person, not a fragment of imagination, and if he shows up for longer than just to bring Fritz peace, wouldn't he be bound to have OPINIONS on the various people in Fritz' life and Fritz' relationships with them?
Let's be real. If Wilhelmine fell for Katte and let it be known, the three of them would have jumped all over a ménage à trois.
So what you're saying is that Grumbkow in Fiat Justitia has a point? ;)
wouldn't he be bound to have OPINIONS on the various people in Fritz' life and Fritz' relationships with them?
OMG.
Algarotti: I like him! Nice guy. Think he's up for a menage a trois with another ghost? Fredersdorf: Oh, that's nice flute playing. OK, I guess I approve of him, but you know, he's a commoner! Keith: Bro. You've got to talk to Pete more. Come on, this is ridiculous. Voltaire: ...really? Really??
Because if ghostly Katte is an actual person, not a fragment of imagination, and if he shows up for longer than just to bring Fritz peace, wouldn't he be bound to have OPINIONS on the various people in Fritz' life and Fritz' relationships with them?
Yes! And that would be super interesting. And challenging. He probably wouldn't have a problem with the Silesian invasion, he is an 18th century Prussian (who preferred a Prussian war to a French peace, no less), but he might have some opinions about the ways in which Fritz turned out like FW. It would be easier for him, I think, if he was there to watch the whole development, but if he just shows up late in Fritz's life, he might be in for something of a shock.
I know the Mobster AU writer has done it, but that's a Fritz who actually has had therapy and has a current good life, and the one significant relationship he's in - with AU Algarotti - is encouraging and functional
Yes, indeed. Also, I didn't know you were reading the most recent one, where he gets reunited with Katte late in life. The one I commissioned. :D
So what you're saying is that Grumbkow in Fiat Justitia has a point? ;)
He's not completely off the mark. ;) They *didn't*, but they *could have*.
Also, I didn't know you were reading the most recent one, where he gets reunited with Katte late in life. The one I commissioned.
Just because I love the siblings and the most problematic boyfriend the most doesn't mean I don't care about the rest of the ensemble. :) Also I was curious, because a Katte who has the chance to live an actual life instead of dying young and tragically is someone I personally couldn't write (somehow, my imagination ends at the end of Fiat Justitia when it comes to surviving Kattes), but am interested to read about. There are certainly a good variety of possibilities of how he could turn out!
Meanwhile, ghostly Katte who remains young but gets the chance to look at further developments: Yes! And that would be super interesting. And challenging. He probably wouldn't have a problem with the Silesian invasion, he is an 18th century Prussian (who preferred a Prussian war to a French peace, no less), but he might have some opinions about the ways in which Fritz turned out like FW. It would be easier for him, I think, if he was there to watch the whole development, but if he just shows up late in Fritz's life, he might be in for something of a shock.
No kidding. I mean, just imagine him first dropping by for a ghostly visit when Fritz is having a go at nephew FW2 for wearing French clothing and gets rid of some of FW2's friends as bad influences. Or, well, at any encounter between Fritz and Heinrich. (Even if Heinrich is being a bastard right back at Fritz, which as opposed to nephew he was absolutely capable of, being l'autre moi-meme.)
just imagine him first dropping by for a ghostly visit when Fritz is having a go at nephew FW2 for wearing French clothing and gets rid of some of FW2's friends as bad influences.
That is EXACTLY the one I had in mind.
Katte, maybe your resting place should be a place where you, you know, rest. Either stick with Fritz starting at Küstrin, or reunite with him and his dogs after 1786 at Sanssouci and be sans souci together. The middle ground is full of landmines.
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Re: Fritz - the Musical
The framing narration is old Fritz the hermit, at Sanssouci, dictating his memoirs, when ghostly Katte shows up. Old Fritz sends the writer home and talks with ghostly Katte about his life, as ghostly Katte reminds him who he used to be. Cue flashback to his youth; FW is FW, Fritz and Wilhelmine sing their song, then it's off to Dresden, with Wilhelmine and Katte. Fritz gets deflowered by Orzelska, Wilhelmine and Katte fall in love, which Fritz isn't happy about. (Summary doesn't say which of them he's jealous of.) FW nearly beats Fritz to death, Fritz and Katte decides to flee, which is the Act 1 cliffhanger ending.
After the break, we catch up with Katte and Wilhelmine arguing about the escape plan. Fritz gets caught and incarcarated. Grumbkow uncovers that Katte was part of the plan. FW gives the execution in front of Fritz order. At which point Old Fritz interrupts the goings on, and it's clear he can't bear to remember the exeution and that this is the central trauma of his life. He takes over the narration and skips to his first year of Kingship, MT ascending and him using the chance to invade Silesia and becoming Frederick the Great.
Next, the musical skips forward to Voltaire's song and Fritz trying to live the artistic life at Sanssouci. Disaster ensues. Then Wilhelmine visits and is shocked about how he's changed. He gets an FW style temper outburst when she says so, and the ensuing 7 Years War is also a way to numb his unhealed grief, not that it works. He has the self realising song "Ebenbild" and finishes the war outwardly victorious but as a broken and now completly lonely man.
At which point the tale has caught up with the beginning. Ghostly Katte helps him to face the anbearable memory he's been running from all his life and then Fritz finally is able to let go, find peace and die in the final song, reuniting with Katte and Wilhelmine in the finale.
On the one hand, it's a bit Freud for dummies - i.e. peace comes when he's finally able to confront the most traumatic memory, his seaking military glory is solely because of Dad (I'm more with Mildred - Dad influenced how he sought it, but even if FW had been treating him like AW, he'd have become and expansionist monarch) - and of course the SD/Grumbkow (I assume this is how Grumbkow finds out about Katte?) and Wilhelmine/Katte affairs are gratituous heterosexualisation, bot otoh if I understand the summary correctly Old Fritz is on stage with Katte's ghost the entire time, arguing about his life, and as far as narrative ideas for a 2 hours stage version go, that's not a bad one.
An English language trailer of the musical!
Re: Fritz - the Musical
Wilhelmine and Katte fall in love, which Fritz isn't happy about. (Summary doesn't say which of them he's jealous of.)
Let's be real. If Wilhelmine fell for Katte and let it be known, the three of them would have jumped all over a ménage à trois. Not saying jealousy would never have reared its ugly head, not with two of them deeply psychologically scarred and the third still a product of the 18th century, but if W and K were getting along, Fritz might well have seen this as an opportunity rather than something to complain about. ;)
FW, on the other hand...
Old Fritz is on stage with Katte's ghost the entire time, arguing about his life
I can't decide whether my reaction is <3 or </3, but either way, it hurts so good. Much like someone arguing with a certain best enemy ghost in 1780 and wondering where all his other ghosts are. :-(
Re: Fritz - the Musical
Not that I expect the musical to go into depth with this, because, you know, musical, meaning most stage time will be covered by songs, not dialogue, but I do find the Katte & Old Fritz combination a challenging and intriguing dramatic premise to pull off, if, that is, one has Katte as an actual character as opposed to a part of Fritz' imagination (in the way the tv show Six Feet Under uses its "ghosts" to comment as a post modern way to replace the dramatic monologue about one's innner state). I know the Mobster AU writer has done it, but that's a Fritz who actually has had therapy and has a current good life, and the one significant relationship he's in - with AU Algarotti - is encouraging and functional, and hence this old Fritz is already in a very different emoitonal and psychological state than the real deal would have been in the 80s (or even in the 70s, if you want to have ghostly Katte show up earlier). Because if ghostly Katte is an actual person, not a fragment of imagination, and if he shows up for longer than just to bring Fritz peace, wouldn't he be bound to have OPINIONS on the various people in Fritz' life and Fritz' relationships with them?
Let's be real. If Wilhelmine fell for Katte and let it be known, the three of them would have jumped all over a ménage à trois.
So what you're saying is that Grumbkow in Fiat Justitia has a point? ;)
Re: Fritz - the Musical
OMG.
Algarotti: I like him! Nice guy. Think he's up for a menage a trois with another ghost?
Fredersdorf: Oh, that's nice flute playing. OK, I guess I approve of him, but you know, he's a commoner!
Keith: Bro. You've got to talk to Pete more. Come on, this is ridiculous.
Voltaire: ...really? Really??
Re: Fritz - the Musical
Re: Fritz - the Musical
Yes! And that would be super interesting. And challenging. He probably wouldn't have a problem with the Silesian invasion, he is an 18th century Prussian (who preferred a Prussian war to a French peace, no less), but he might have some opinions about the ways in which Fritz turned out like FW. It would be easier for him, I think, if he was there to watch the whole development, but if he just shows up late in Fritz's life, he might be in for something of a shock.
I know the Mobster AU writer has done it, but that's a Fritz who actually has had therapy and has a current good life, and the one significant relationship he's in - with AU Algarotti - is encouraging and functional
Yes, indeed. Also, I didn't know you were reading the most recent one, where he gets reunited with Katte late in life. The one I commissioned. :D
So what you're saying is that Grumbkow in Fiat Justitia has a point? ;)
He's not completely off the mark. ;) They *didn't*, but they *could have*.
Re: Fritz - the Musical
Just because I love the siblings and the most problematic boyfriend the most doesn't mean I don't care about the rest of the ensemble. :) Also I was curious, because a Katte who has the chance to live an actual life instead of dying young and tragically is someone I personally couldn't write (somehow, my imagination ends at the end of Fiat Justitia when it comes to surviving Kattes), but am interested to read about. There are certainly a good variety of possibilities of how he could turn out!
Meanwhile, ghostly Katte who remains young but gets the chance to look at further developments:
Yes! And that would be super interesting. And challenging. He probably wouldn't have a problem with the Silesian invasion, he is an 18th century Prussian (who preferred a Prussian war to a French peace, no less), but he might have some opinions about the ways in which Fritz turned out like FW. It would be easier for him, I think, if he was there to watch the whole development, but if he just shows up late in Fritz's life, he might be in for something of a shock.
No kidding. I mean, just imagine him first dropping by for a ghostly visit when Fritz is having a go at nephew FW2 for wearing French clothing and gets rid of some of FW2's friends as bad influences. Or, well, at any encounter between Fritz and Heinrich. (Even if Heinrich is being a bastard right back at Fritz, which as opposed to nephew he was absolutely capable of, being l'autre moi-meme.)
Re: Fritz - the Musical
That is EXACTLY the one I had in mind.
Katte, maybe your resting place should be a place where you, you know, rest. Either stick with Fritz starting at Küstrin, or reunite with him and his dogs after 1786 at Sanssouci and be sans souci together. The middle ground is full of landmines.