Ten Questions for Thekla Kaischauri
- How does a Viennese underground wrestler end up turning pro and plying her trade in Japan's biggest wrestling league?
Countless hours of grueling training, not minding the odd bump to the head and a soft spot for Japanese culture are a good starting point.
- How did you get into wrestling in the first place?
As a teenager, I stumbled across a wrestling show by accident and was hooked immediately. The rest is history.
- What’s Vienna’s underground wrestling scene like?
Loud, chaotic, cheeky. Viennese audiences are the best.
- By comparison, how would you describe wrestling’s status in Japan?
Wrestling is one of the most popular sports in Japan. They worship us wrestlers.
- Your trademark is a spider-like move made you a star on the global stage. How did the move come about and what’s the challenging thing about it?
The move was created in our basement dojo in Vienna’s second district and the challenge is not to break your back.
- What does your training schedule look like? Is it more about power or endurance?
Power, muscles, cardio, technique: it’s all important.
- What are your favorite places in Vienna and in Tokyo?
The Prater amusement park is my undefeated number one. In Tokyo, it's the infamous entertainment district of Kabukichō.
- You were in a production at the Burgtheater two years ago. How did you come to be involved?
By chance. Basically, the Burgtheater was on the look out for a muscular woman.
- You studied in Vienna at the University of Applied Arts. What form does your art take?
My art leans on everything from music and radio plays, to performance and punk.
In what way is wrestling art? Are there parallels?
The ring is my canvas and I paint a pretty wild picture.
Interview: Johannes Luxner
Wrestling in Vienna:
Weberknecht
www.undergroundwrestling.at
