Halbwelt Kultur is a new musical cabaret which presents snapshot vignettes of seven highly influential Weimar Republic women set against the sound of the period’s finest songs and the backdrop of the rise of the Nazi regime and eventually war ‘Opening with a wonderfully engaging chorus and with some direct observations of what we are about to observe this is a roughly tender show using the lives of these dynamic and sensual women to highlight the tensions between freedom of expression and oppressive conformity.
One of the characters tells us early on ‘The German is gross in his immorality, he likes his Halb-Welt or underworld pleasures to be devoid of any Kultur or refinement, he enjoys obscenity in a form which even the Parisian would not tolerate’
We then head off into the lives of these women. The title means ‘Underworld Culture’ and this seven women troupe invoke the heady period in Berlin between the wars, which we now refer to as the Weimar Republic. They do so with an boundless energy and fizzy charm that catches the irrepressible bare faced cheek of this decade whilst never taking their eye off the swastika covered elephant in the room. It narrates stories of the actresses, singers, writers and revolutionaries who became the icons of their various fields, and stitches monologue with some of the best cabaret songs of all time to form a rich tapestry of Weimar life.
Each women is introduced with her own theme and songs from the period and the selection of vignettes are staccato and introduced with a touch of historical narrative every now and again, just to keep us on track. The songs are used to interrupt and comment on the lives being portrayed with the audience acing as both fawning stage-struck lackey and voyeuristic judge. It’s a curious mix, but often due to the abilities of the actors to shift gear and focus so effortlessly it’s a convincing mix.
Check out a video clip here:
This musical play was devised by Patrick Kennedy , Stephanie Hampton, Finnola D’Albert and the company with a fun and almost frivolous edge which leaves each of these pieces having an undercurrent of unease, no matter how celebratory or positive, we all know what happened, and there’s no use pretending we don’t, that shadow just throws itself too far back, it’s too dark to ignore. Kennedy also directs but his trick is to use the darkness to highlight the flashes of brilliance that were rising up in more and more numbers before being snuffed out by the Nazi regime. Kennedy doesn’t dodge this fact and weaves it thought-out the show, shifting chorological focus and emotional gaze so we get just the right idea of menace without it dampening the spirit of the way these women lived, and often died. There’s no pity here, just a cold hard look at the dying of the light using its brilliant rainbow hues to thrown contrast on the growing crepuscular night to follow. The girls are perfect in catching this tone, never slipping over into pity, no pathos, each dance number slightly more manic than the last, but with no sense of desperation. It’s a very delicate balance but the troupe keeps it well balanced throughout the night, the final song summing up this feeling perfectly.
Talent, money, businesses, opportunity, politics and of course love are all shown here, with the magnificent and sometimes tragic women who were behind the often radical or just plain shocking and abandoned proposals or artistic methods. Some of it seems dated to us, but that’s to hide the very real revolution feeling that was infusing this growing culture in Berlin. Journalist Gabriele Tergit, Marlene Dietrich , Rosa Luxemburg, provocative performer Anita Berber and Clare Waldoff are just a few of the women portrayed. (although i suspect Clare Waldoff would never have performed with an un ironed shirt folks, just a thought…..)
The actors, all fine voiced, lithe limbed and shimmery knickerbockery negligees are fun, silly, vivacious and also knowing, although for an aged Queer like myself they were also terribly clean living and healthy of limb and mind to be portraying such decadence and vice, but like police men, actors all seem to get younger every year. So I’ll put that observation down to my cynical old years rather than their young enthusiastic effort or the impressive writing of the author of this play Patrick Kennedy who has otherwise done a very impressive job of collecting this kaleidoscope of lives, taking a pinch of this and that and weaving a convincing narrative of the period out of it. Kennedy grasps the difficulties of these women’s lives rather lightly though, but then I suspect that was his point, to allow them to live vibrantly again on stage rather than allow the on-coming storm to obliterate all joy from their lives. I knew the dreadful death of Rosa Luxumberg, but had never seen her life portrayed in song before, full of character, passion and conviction, Kennedy has managed to replace the wretched horror or state murder with one of a passionate woman full of hope.
The actors, all fine voiced, lithe limbed and shimmery knickerbockery negligees are fun, silly, vivacious and also knowing, although for an aged Queer like myself they were also terribly clean living and healthy of limb and mind to be portraying such decadence and vice, but like police men, actors all seem to get younger every year. So I’ll put that observation down to my cynical old years rather than their young enthusiastic effort or the impressive writing of the author of this play Patrick Kennedy who has otherwise done a very impressive job of collecting this kaleidoscope of lives, taking a pinch of this and that and weaving a convincing narrative of the period out of it. Kennedy grasps the difficulties of these women’s lives rather lightly though, but then I suspect that was his point, to allow them to live vibrantly again on stage rather than allow the on-coming storm to obliterate all joy from their lives. I knew the dreadful death of Rosa Luxumberg, but had never seen her life portrayed in song before, full of character, passion and conviction, Kennedy has managed to replace the wretched horror or state murder with one of a passionate woman full of hope.
The choreography by Alyssa Noble sets the period boldly, allows the actors to inhabit both the bodies of the women being portrayed and the times they are living in. The group numbers are wonderfully chic too, both funny and technically proficient. I really enjoyed how Nobel brings this septuplet of dancers together. It’s seriously energetic.
The bare boned set and atmospheric light bulbs from designer Tom Kitney that throb in an out of life are all that’s needed as the troupe set up each scene with just the right amount of prop and suggestion, with some surprisingly effective ensemble pieces.
The band are great throughout, the trumpet player Roger Moisan warrants a mention as his tone lifted the music up and dumped it softly onto the stage of the famous Berlin Eldorado Club circa 1932. Superb.
Be warned there is a section of the play with Strobe Lighting.
The cast and creative of Halbwelt Kultur have dedicated this show to the LGBT community of Russia, and it’s nice to go see something with a social conscience this time of year, and much better than some Panto, Oh no it’s not…Oh yes it is!
Until 15th December 15
Jeremy Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST
For more info or to book tickets CLICK HERE:
Or telephone the Box Office on: 020 7287 2875
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