Revitalized and polished Berlin stages breathe new life into classic variety shows
In the heart of Berlin, the stage is buzzing with a new wave of innovation. Variety has become a technique of estrangement, inviting audiences to reflect on the logic of the narrative on stage and, perhaps, their lives.
This contemporary approach is beautifully showcased in productions like "Fiddler! A Musical" at HAU in December. A postmodern homage to the Broadway classic, "Fiddler on the Roof," this play goes beyond the original and explores the tradition of Jewish performance, ranging from 19th-century vaudeville through Broadway spectaculars to the preoccupations of Berlin's diverse, vibrant performers today.
The logic of variety theatre is not limited to big spectacle productions. Katharina Stoll and Isabelle Redfern's "Sistas!" at Volksbühne, while initially appearing as a psychological family drama, incorporates elements of variety theatre such as square dancing, opera singing interludes, and sword swallowing. These unexpected interruptions challenge the forward movement of traditional narrative, demanding that the audience thinks.
The one-woman performance of Sina Martens in Lena Brasch's "It's Britney, Bitch" at the Berliner Ensemble also incorporates elements of variety theatre. Each monologue is broken up by a slowed-down version of a Britney Spears song, offering a multitude of textures. The production even features a recreation of Spears' 'Oops!...I Did It Again' complete with the red jumpsuit, a moment that brought the house down.
Vaudeville, as it was called in the UK, or "vaudeville" in the US, pushed theatre's variousness to extremes around the turn of the 19th century. Capturing the experience of the modern city's colliding worlds, it offered a mix of musical performances, comedy acts, dramatic monologues, ballet interludes, daredevil acrobatics, boxing matches, short films, arias, and Wild West reenactments.
Digital platforms like TikTok and YouTube can be considered a modern form of variety theatre. They involve flicking through a multitude of different content, much like the eclectic mix offered by vaudeville.
By 1905, some rated vaudeville as the avant-garde of theatrical innovation. Some leaflets from this period suggest that many real "new" ideas in plays were inspired by vaudeville.
Contemporary theater pieces in Berlin that develop references to Variety theater and focus on forms not relying on large spectacles are part of a broader trend of experimental and interdisciplinary theater practices. These works typically emphasize intimate, minimalistic, and transdisciplinary approaches rather than grand spectacle.
The production of "Fiddler! A Musical" and "Sistas!" are ambitious attempts to wrestle with the "tradition" of Jewish performance. They use variety to create a critical distance for reflection, inviting audiences to work out the relationships between the events on stage and its namechecked antecedent(s) independently.
In essence, Berlin's contemporary theater scene is a testament to the enduring power of variety. It challenges the audience, invites reflection, and offers a fresh take on tradition.
