Stream: 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.

Alles Schwindel (It's All a Swindle), after it first premiered in 1931, 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.

Premiere: 17/December 2017 


Stage Photos: Ute Langkafel