Review: BERLIN BERLIN at Museumsquartier WIen
The roaring Twenties are back for a strictly limited run
The critically acclaimed revue is hitting the road and stopping in Vienna for a strictly limited run. Ages ago, Berlin was the center of the world, with its Night Clubs, Bars, and the famous Admiralspalast with its Conférenciers the Variety "Admiral" (played by Simon Stockinger, well-deserved Winner of the 2024 BroadwayWorld Austria Award for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical). It has been a time full of good music, loads of dancing, liquor, and huge Variety shows; the world danced through Berlin and the doors into the Admiralspalast, the world's melting pot, where everyone wanted to be a part of.
The revue tells the story loosely based on historical facts. It's more focused on entertaining than educating until the Nazis stepped up and turned the roaring Berlin and its colorfully diverse community upside down. That's when the audience got silent; it felt more relevant than ever because we were (again) were facing difficult times. Apart from that, the show has its moments, and the dance numbers (with a wonderful Choreography by Matt Cole) are intense with a spice of the good old Bob Fosse-Style. The leading ladies and men, especially Jil Cleese as Berlin's femme fatale Anita Berber, with her (stunningly) interpretation of "CABRET" (CABARET), devoured the audience after a bumpy ride through Act 1. A Revue about Berlin without Marlene Dietrich, Josephine Baker, or the COMEDIAN HARMONISTS wouldn't be anything to discuss. Unsurprisingly, the famous Marlene, the very first German boy band, as well as Josephine Baker and her famous Banana skirt, got their spot in the show, and of course, the audience loved it.
Berlin in the 20s was also a city filled with musicians and live music in almost every amusement establishment. With its Musical Director Jeff Frohner, the Berlin Berlin Orchestra brought the sound of the late 20s back alive on stage, not as sin-filled as necessary but still swinging. The show feels like an hommage to Germany's capital, and it might be riveting to see the audience's reaction when it's played in Berlin because of the history, the city vibe, and, of course, the (sometimes very German) jokes. Berlin-Berlin is vibrant and diverting but not as utterly Berlin-ish as it could be.
Berlin Berlin is playing until January 26th. For tickets and further information, visit:
www.berlinberlin-show.com
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