Review: BORDELL TOTAL!

Artists who are not supported by the Ministry of Culture/ Theater/ OfficeProductions can usually only be defined in one word: CRAZY.

In Israel it's no secret: there's just not enough of an audience to make an independent play/ show. Not enough audience - not enough money. Why is there not enough audience? Because independent shows simply don't have the regular patrons of the big theaters - there is no 'name' behind them, and consequently there is no money for PR work. No promotion means less of an audience. And the cycle continues.

So what does the Ministry of Culture do to help? Nothing. They simply stand aside, allowing independent shows to wither and die.

Rarely do exceptions come along - but among the few independent plays in Israel, the Cabaret BORDELL TOTAL has managed to stand proudly! The cabaret is showing at the Barbie Club in Tel Aviv.

Doing satire at its best, we're treated to a performance that makes us laugh, and only after a few moments do we realize that this is our country! They have no sacred cows. The army, the Ministry of Culture, constant war, the Palestinians - even the Holocaust isn't safe!

I enter the cabaret club of Yaffa Attias, who is playing Moran Arbiv. On the stage stands Legacy, played by Yifat Zohar, who sings songs of the Land of Israel with the audience in karaoke. Attias sits me down and gives me an Israeli flag. She explains that we have to behave well because the culture minister may be visiting today - and if so, he will see that we are loyal to the state, which could save the club from being shut down.

The show opens officially with Roi Assaf's monologue: he promises to be a loyal artist, and thus pledges not to ask questions, to raise doubts, or to touch bleeding places. God - I knew, then, that I was going to love this cabaret!

The cabaret goes through remarkably different routes, slaying the negative aspects of our country in a way that seems to leave everyone in the audience fascinated, regardless of political leanings.

During the cabaret we are exposed to a soldier who goes to war after his wedding but falls in battle. We see a frustrated nationalist who takes up his anger at the Israeli Ministry of Culture and Society. We watch an unknown old man who loses his voice in the elections, as well as a singer who sings songs of memory and heritage all the time.

What fascinated me most was to see what were obviously huge production costs - even an inexpert eye would notice within a few seconds. It was clear that the cabaret wanted to take the audience on a journey by any means necessary.

In conclusion: Cabaret Total is the best satirical show I have ever seen. There is no doubt that this is a genius-level production with surprising sophistication.

My recommendation: do not waste a minute, and go see it. You will come out completely differently - Bordell Total knows what they are doing!

Photo Credit: Tal Tsikorl, Noga Shadmi
For tickets and further information, visit Bordell Total site

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