Review: Lighter Side of the Fall of the Weimar Republic, in Death of Classical's TIERGARTEN?

I wouldn’t say that Andrew Ousley’s TIERGARTEN cabaret draws parallels between Weimar Germany—from World War I, leading up to the Nazification of the country and finally World War II—and the current political climate in the US.

But you could.

After all, who doesn’t love a little escapist fiddling while Rome (and other entities) burns?

Performed in the Grand Hall of St. Mary’ church on the Lower East Side in New York, TIERGARTEN is technically part of the Carnegie Hall festival “Fall of the Weimar Republic: Dancing on the Precipice,” but it is pretty far removed from most of the other events in the series, performed in its homebase.

That’s just about par for the course for Ousley, who made his directorial debut here (along with the conception and writing) but is usually more of an impresario, through his tongue-in-cheek "Death of Classical" banner, with concert series’ in church crypts and Green-Wood Cemetery and is frequently involved with the indie classical music scene through his many prestigious clients. It was an auspicious debut.

Politics notwithstanding, if nothing else the evening showed there is no shortage of performing talent of all types available for every kind of venue in our city.

Emcee Kim David Smith, who provided a little Wilkommen for the boisterous crowd (yes, he’s played a similar role in the musical “Cabaret”), kind of held the evening together. With his glittering red lips and tails (or in a g-string as he shimmied into a black clinging gown), he played the crowd, drawing them under his spell with a variety of songs and slithering. (“Witchcraft” by Coleman/Leigh was one of his songs.)

He guided us on a walk through some of the deplorable and/or questionable parts of history—Adam & Eve to the Fall of Rome, the Salem Witch Trials to the Weimar Republic—but provided some escapism from everyday life, no matter what the era.

There was a kind of roadmap for the festivities, with vaudeville-style intro cards giving us a hint about where we were going, but in some ways it was a kind of mish-mash, since the scenes weren’t performed in chronological order. However, with the talent involved, the audience happily went along for the ride and accepted everything thrown at them. (And there was plenty!)

The music ranged from Monteverdi (“Pur ti mito” with Ariadne Greif and Luke Elmer) to “Arrivaderci, Roma” with Aaron Reeder, and Kylie Minogue (“All the Lovers”). Styles ran from opera (TROVATORE’s “Stride la vampa” from mezzo Melina Jaharis), and Kurt Weill (“Pirate Jenny,” performed with shadow cutouts, “The Death of Caesar” and “Alabama Song,” all from Emcee Smith).

There was Abel Meeropol’s “Strange Fruit” from Amanda Granderson, combined with dancing to Max Richter’s “This Bitter Earth” performed by Liana Zhen-ai  & Dylan Contreras and burlesque from Pearls Daily. If you think that it seems to be an odd combination of sources, well, welcome to Weimar Berlin.

Frankly, some of it seemed to cut a little close to the bone for my taste, politically at least, considering all the attention on Herr, er, Ex-president Trump with his trial in bloom in New York. (NB: He is an ex- and not a former, since he lost the election.) Then there's the Supreme Court acting like it has the Divine Right of Kings. Unfortunately, those who needed to hear the warning message of the evening most weren’t likely to be on Grand Street during TIERGARTEN’s two-night run at the end of last week.

Photo: Kim David Smith, emcee, with company

Credit: Kevin Condon

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