Cabaret

Welcome to Berlin
It is Germany, 1929. Raucous laughter from the cabaret seeps outside as you pass in the shadows of the
cold Berlin night. The streets are sexually charged, your head clouds with a heady concoction of
prostitution, homosexuality, eroticism and drugs. Still spinning from the collective lust roaring unashamedly
from each open cabaret door, you head now for the café bar at the hotel where you live. Jostling with leggy
glamour girls as you take your drink, you settle your trouser-suited body into the deep folds of an armchair
and smile provocatively as you light a cigarette.
Such was the nightly life in the Weimar Republic, an era that seemed to fly under the radar of organized
society. Sandwiched between two World Wars, the Weimar Republic gave to the people of Germany what
they hadn’t had for years (and wouldn’t have again for decades): the power to revel in what it means to be
human. Citizens of Berlin in the late 20’s experienced a time of utter freedom: of speech, to love, of
expression. A time of complete governmental upheaval bred a brief moment of creative clarity. The
legacies of the artists and intelligentsia of Weimar Berlin can be seen in every art form: in jazz and
burlesque halls, popular dance beats, on the walls of museums, on the clothing racks of H&M.
It is easy to compare 1929 Berlin to today and quickly dismiss any and all similarities. Playwright,
producer and drama translator, Roger Pulvers states, “one country’s naturalism is another country’s
surrealism”. But upon closer inspection, the cabarets and dance halls of Berlin are not so far from the
basements, storefront theatres, and loft spaces frequented by young Chicago adults every weekend. The
vigor for life post-WWI pulses through our veins again today with the reworking of our current
government. As artists, just like in Weimar, it is our duty to relish in the ever-present power of art and its
ability to comment on and affect society. Whether it be a realistic portrayal, a biting satire or a simple story,
the desire to express ourselves is an urge that spans location and time.
As artists, I created a sourcebook to immerse you into the world of the cabaret, Berlin and it’s underbelly.
I have included a brief history of the cabaret, examples of cabaret artists and clubs as well as various songs
popular in 1929-1930 Berlin. Since art and current events go so closely hand in hand in Weimar, I have
included a history of the period between WWI Germany and the rise of the Third Reich. So that you can
get a taste of Weimar culture, there are separate sections on food, music and dance . A description of
Berlin, a city known for its scandalous ways, would not be complete without a look into the sex industry.
Rising rates of prostitution caused a skewed perspective of women, and different ideas about what the
modern woman should be; included is a section describing some of the expectations women faced in
metropolitan Berlin. The theatre of Weimar Berlin survived on a mix of satire and Brechtian-style theatre,
and there are sections on both.
Cabaret is one of the first musicals to find success without a “happy ending”. It’s production history, a
series of successful revampings, is included along with descriptions of the stories Cabaret was created from.
Lastly is a photo-essay, branching the world of the Berlin with other artist Mecca's of the last century,
showing that life really is a cabaret.
If you have any questions or concerns, Faith and I are here to offer you any and all assistance.
Brittany Squier (Dramaturg)
Faith Glendenning (Assistant Dramaturg
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