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Michael Hatzius

Michael Hatzius

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Michael Hatzius – The Man Behind the Lizard: Master of Modern Puppetry and Cabaret

How a Berlin Puppeteer is Revolutionizing German-speaking Comedy

Michael Hatzius, born on June 2, 1982, in East Berlin, has shaped German-speaking cabaret and puppetry with his larger-than-life stage figure, Die Echse. Trained at the "Ernst Busch" Academy of Dramatic Art in Berlin and an award-winning artist, he blends precise puppet manipulation, intelligent writing, and spontaneous interaction in his shows. While his music career in the strictest sense may seem secondary, his stage presence, artistic development, and sense of rhythm, timing, and dramatic composition create the perfect "arrangement" for a lively, full-length performance. Today, Hatzius tours with his fourth solo show, "ECHSKLUSIV," across the German-speaking regions.

Biography: From Ernst Busch Diploma to Celebrated Stage Artist

Hatzius studied puppetry at the HfS "Ernst Busch" and graduated as a puppeteer in 2006. Early on, he became involved in independent projects, co-founding the group Theater Urknall with Dorothee Carls, and performing at venues such as the Hanover State Theater, Theater an der Parkaue, Theater Waidspeicher Erfurt, German National Theater Weimar, State Theater Darmstadt, and Puppentheater Magdeburg. His artistic development traversed traditional city theater formats as well as independent productions—a training ground that clearly influences his current repertoire of composition, direction, improvisation, and precise puppet work. Even before his major breakthrough in cabaret, he worked as a puppeteer for television and commercial productions.

Breakthrough with “Die Echse”: A Character Becomes a Cult Figure

Since 2009, Die Echse has been at the center of his comedy work. The premiere of his first solo show, "Die Echse und Freunde – das volle Programm," in 2011 at the Quatsch Comedy Club marked a breakthrough; it was followed by a multi-year tour through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg. With "Echstasy" (2015), Hatzius refined the dramatic architecture of his programs and expanded his character ensemble—from the shy chicken to the choleric tick to the resolute carrot from security. "Echsoterik" (2019) then positioned Die Echse as a self-proclaimed guru, complete with specially designed tarot cards—an example of Hatzius’s sense for set design, prop design, and the semantic depths of his compositions.

“ECHSKLUSIV” (since 2025): An Interactive Masterclass in Stage Presence

With "ECHSKLUSIV," Hatzius sharpens the interactive dramaturgy further starting in 2025. Die Echse responds live to questions, sketches portraits from the audience, and improvises scenic miniatures that lend rhythm to current social events and everyday observations. The character ensemble has been expanded again: The pig couple Steffi and Torsten, known from the “Mitternachtsspitzen,” sharply deconstruct toxic relationship dynamics, while a woken unicorn and the tick challenge issues of language and interpretation. This creates a vibrant mix of punch density, psychological character depiction, and situational improvisation—an "arrangement" of timing, text, and performance.

Technique and Style: Puppetry as a Precise "Production"

Hatzius's artistic development demonstrates how virtuously he connects the mechanics of puppetry—eye direction, breathing, impulse—with cabaret rhetoric. The result is an extraordinary stage presence: Although the puppeteer remains visible, his body merges with the figure into a single unit. This double-addressing—playing with illusion and exposure—corresponds to a compositional dramaturgy: Scenes are constructed like tracks of a live session, featuring clear entrances, "breaks," call-and-response moments with the audience, and dramatic crescendos. The sound of his voice, the articulation of Die Echse, and the "micro-pauses" in dialogue act as the "production effects" that shape the signature sound of his performances.

Television, Web, and Series: From “Weltall.Echse.Mensch.” to “Schubert, Echse und …”

In parallel to the stage, Hatzius has developed successful TV formats. In 2014, he launched his rbb show “Weltall.Echse.Mensch.,” followed by a second season in 2015 on ARD; the format was nominated for the Grimme Award. Since 2021, he has regularly appeared on WDR's “Mitternachtsspitzen.” Another milestone is the collaborative format with Olaf Schubert: “Schubert, Echse und …” premiered streaming on November 21, 2024 (ARD Mediathek) and TV on April 12, 2025 (MDR). The magazine humorously collides Hatzius's character universe with Schubert’s anarchic perspective—an astute expansion of his repertoire towards a late-night feel and serialized storytelling.

Awards and Recognitions: Authority in the Field

The list of awards reads like a canon of German-speaking cabaret: 2010 the Förderpreis of the Comedy Arts Festival Moers and the “Kabarett Kaktus,” 2012 Jury and Audience Award at the Kleinkunstfestival der Wühlmäuse as well as Prix Pantheon (Jury Prize), 2013 German Kleinkunstpreis, Stuttgarter Besen (Jury and Audience Prize), and the EDDI (Berlin Cabaret Prize). This is supplemented by a Grimme Award nomination for “Weltall.Echse.Mensch.” and the nomination for the “Goldene Henne” in 2015. In 2021/22, he received another significant award from the satire scene with the “Leipziger Löwenzahn.” This record underscores the artist's authority in the interplay of cabaret, puppetry, and TV comedy.

Discography and Releases: Live DVDs as "Recordings" of Puppetry

Although Michael Hatzius is not a classical music act, two releases document his stage work in a “record” logic: the DVD “Die Echse & Freunde – das volle Programm” (2012) and “Echstasy” (2016). Both recordings function like curated “setlists”: they preserve timing, character manipulation, and dramatic arcs. At the same time, they showcase how strongly the “composition” of his evenings relies on live interaction—which is why the stage remains the truest medium.

Artistic Development: Improvisation, Psychology, Audience Engagement

Hatzius's musicality reveals itself in the fine nuances of his dialogues and the rhythmic guidance of the characters—the Echse breathes, looks, and delivers punchlines like a conductor. He anchors his performance in the psychological complexity of the ensemble: Die Echse as an arrogant, omniscient chronicler; the chicken as a hesitant countervoice; the tick as a hook of reality; the carrot as a security instance. These counterpoints structure the “score” of his evenings. The high degree of improvisation makes each set unique and gives his comedy a subtle, almost chamber music-like dynamism.

Cultural Influence: Puppetry in the 21st Century

Die Echse has become a symbol of a puppetry that does not remain in the children's room but satirically breaks adult discourses on politics, language, relationships, and media. Hatzius’s characters serve as projection surfaces for collective moods—from pandemic commentary to everyday rituals. In doing so, he sparks impulses for a generation of stage artists who use puppetry as a serious narrative form in cabaret and the “late-night” aesthetic. His work demonstrates how genre boundaries (theater, television, web) intersect when dramaturgy, composition, and arrangement align.

Current Projects (2024–2026): “Schubert, Echse und …” and the “ECHSKLUSIV” Tour

Since late autumn 2024, “Schubert, Echse und …” has been running in the ARD Mediathek and from April 2025 on MDR. At the same time, Hatzius is touring with “ECHSKLUSIV” through the German-speaking region. The 2025 tour schedule was largely sold out; the tour will continue in 2026. The program weaves current themes with audience interactions, new character material, and the distinctive “Echse” sound—this precise, laconic tone balancing between life wisdom, cultural critique, and subversive depth.

Voices of the Fans

The reactions from fans clearly show: Michael Hatzius captivates audiences throughout the German-speaking world.

On Instagram, a fan raves: “Die Echse has once again nailed it—how can a puppet say so much truth?”

A YouTube comment reads: “Timing, expression, improv—hats off! One of the best live acts in Germany.”

On Facebook, a visitor writes: “The new show ECHSKLUSIV is ruthlessly funny and touching at the same time—please give us more of this!”

Conclusion: Why You Should Experience Michael Hatzius Live

Michael Hatzius demonstrates how puppetry, cabaret, and improvisation can blend at the highest level. His character Die Echse is a contemporary classic because it dissects our world with stoic calm and razor-sharp humor. The shows are compositionally dense, dramatically clear, and open to the crucial live moment. Anyone who loves stage art with “groove”—precisely set, intelligently arranged, and executed with commanding stage presence—should secure a ticket for “ECHSKLUSIV.” These evenings linger in the ear, the mind, and the heart.

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