Berliner Zeitung, 14.11.2001:
“[...] Their hunt leads them through wonderful scenes (set design: Christoph Weyers), which are at least as imaginative as the children's chase ideas: a station forecourt becomes an old town, becomes a hotel, becomes a bank parlour, becomes a police station and much more. The stage decoration is so flexible that it creates several images in just a short time... In addition to the excellent craftsmanship of the set designer, the ten-musician variety band (under the musical direction of Christoph Hagel) also brings the show to life. [...]”

Berliner Morgenpost, I4.ll.2001:
“You float in the charm of nostalgia [...] Stage design and costumes breathe the colour of the period into life.”

Landeszeitung für die Lüneburger Heide, 27.03.2002:
“The musical rolls off like clockwork, the sets change in an instant, the scenes glide into each other...”

Hamburger Morgenpost, 27.03.2002:
“Unbridled joy of acting, groovy songs that sound like catchy tunes at the first hearing, and elaborate stage pictures, based on the drawings by Walter Trier from the Kästner original, create a wonderful atmosphere.”

Die Welt, 27.03.2002:
“[...] Christoph Weyers designed the set and costumes [...] In fact, the creative team managed the feat of concentrating the whole Emil story on stage with a lot of imagination. They used the principle of the Russian matryoshka, i.e. doll within the doll. They are hidden in swivelling houses that form ever new city quarters on stage, telephone booths, a hotel reception desk, a police station. The tram has legs and travels with passengers and conductor through the street, and the train from Neustadt to Berlin can be unfolded and divided. Behind the scene, the musicians appear again and again in silhouette, playing like a nostalgic dance orchestra. And when the situation demands it, the theatre rages all the way into the auditorium, for example when they pursue the nasty Mr Grundeis, who has stolen Emil's money and who, as he says, hates children. [...]”