Alles Schwindel

The theatrical revue is back! It almost seemed as if the Nazis had triumphed. The theatrical revue, that queer mixture of operetta, popular theatre, political cabaret, jazz and new music, was the genre that defined the image of the »Golden Twenties« in Berlin like no other. But this early-postmodern high art of entertainment fell victim to the Nazis and their anti-Semitic-homophobic hate. Its artists were forced to emigrate, their works and the genre itself disappeared along with them.

86 years after its premiere in 1931, one of these works is now being revived at the Gorki. Alles Schwindel (It's All a Swindle) is a true rediscovery. What starts out as a classic boy-meets-girl story turns into a bizarre parcour through the illusory worlds of the late twenties – a time when Tempo was the word of the moment and the slogan “keep up” determined the rhythm. The music of Mischa Spoliansky, who later emigrated to London, holds its own with that of the greats like Kurt Weill.

Christian Weise thoroughly enjoys directing this kind of material: he previously staged Sponliansky's Wie werde ich reich und glücklich (How do I become rich and happy). Together with the Gorki ensemble, Christian Weise throws himself into the vortex of one of the great eras in Berlin's history, which not only in its shimmer, but also in its menacing political and hedonistic fragility displays subtle similarities to the Berlin of today.

A fast-paced evening of costumes, music and dance with songs that stick in your head and a story of disconcerting relevance.

Watch the trailer

Premiere: 17/December 2017

Note: The production uses stroboscopic lighting effects, fast and flickering sequences of images, which may have negative effects on light-sensitive viewers. 

Photo: Esra Rotthoff
Stage Photos: Ute Langkafel