On January 15, 2025, the musical "Berlin, Berlin" celebrated its premiere in the Museumsquartier Vienna, formerly known as the "Messepalast". The actual premiere of the still quite young piece, which is currently on tour, took place in the eponymous federal capital Vienna.
In the 1920s, Berlin experienced a social upheaval and a cultural revolution. After the shock of the First World War, the then capital of the Reich experienced an explosion of creativity and joie de vivre, which was evident in the areas of art, music, fashion and dance. During this time, a groundbreaking cultural and social rise flourished in the Prussian capital. In art, culture, nightlife and social life, people rebelled and wanted to achieve change.
content and ensemble
The musical conveys the feeling of the 1920s with the motto: "The night is worth a sin". The show takes you to the era of Berlin in the 1920s, where freedom, life and pleasure are the focus. In this restless world we see beautiful sequined dresses that glitter in the frame light, lustful music and lyrics of various songs, the young people of that time let their feelings run wild through dance and song.
All social boundaries and norms disappear in the sinful night of Berlin and its clubs. The musical takes the characters out of their everyday lives and lets them enter the world of the "Roaring Twenties", into the ecstasy of the city of vice as it was then and still is today. Style icons such as Marlene Dietrich, the legendary entertainer of the Comedian Harmonists, and the scandalous dancer Josephine Baker invite the audience into their world of ecstasy and letting go, of not being bound by any boundaries or norms, through provocative, lustful and hot dances. Many historians today would crown these ladies as the feminists of the 1920s.
Lena Müller as Marlene Dietrich and Dominique Jackson as Josephine Baker are great entertainers who give their all in this musical. Their performance, singing and dancing skills delight the Viennese audience. Anyone who has already seen this show or will see it in the future will probably agree with the description and describe it as a seductive, sparkling journey through time that reflects the sparkling attitude to life in the golden 20s. Dietrich and Baker in particular were known at the time for their love of sparking small scandals.
A 30-person ensemble brings the golden 1920s to life. They reflect the global economic crisis that the common people felt every day. They reacted to it with unbridled pleasure. The dancers, who played the revue girls of Charleston, impress the audience with their Lindy Hop dances and their endlessly long legs. They dance to hit numbers such as "Puttin' on the Ritz", "I'm set up for love from head to toe", "Mack the Knife" and "You're beautiful with me". During the performance of these songs, the audience danced along enthusiastically in their chairs.
The highlights of the show
The yodeling at Lake Wolfgangsee with the world-famous song "Im Weißen Rössel" was brilliantly staged. "Berlin Berlin" is directed by Christoph Biermeier. Matt Cole is responsible for the choreography. In general, this show is extremely lively in the form of an emotional carousel of joy, shock and displeasure. The latter, for example, when a fascist flag appeared, which then caused the audience to freeze. The tension in the audience could have been cut with a knife. The drop of a pin would have been audible. The performances of Dietrich and Berber were good, but did not come close to the originals.
Rich Morris is responsible for the arrangements of the classic songs of the era in which the show is set. The actors' performances in the pieces "Bei mir bist du schön" and "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" bring the spirit of that era to life. The choreography and the energy that the dancers bring to the stage are unique. However, some scenes seemed overloaded, which was a shame. Sometimes less is more.
Elaborate stage sets
The production is made possible by elaborate visual implementation with detailed, beautiful costumes and stage sets under the direction (script and direction) of Christoph Biermeier. The artists of the show give the audience an authentic insight into the Berlin club scene through their varied dance and singing performances. The actors and the live music of the Swing Balls Orchestra make this show a delight. The majority of the show is based on aesthetic design, on the singing and dancing performance. What falls into the background, however, is the depth of the plot. Of course, the audience can be offered everything in one show. It can therefore be concluded that the show and the audience's friends came first, rather than the historical authenticity of this time.
The balancing act between the two areas of historical reflection and audience entertainment was not successful. This production deserves praise for its stage design, its live band, the talented dancers and singers. Above all, the performance of Dominique Jackson as Josephine Baker deserves praise. This petite, small, slim lady thrilled the entire audience. A very entertaining part of the show was the male singing of the group Kaktus. These five men animated and entertained the entire audience with their singing and various noises.
Conclusion: artistically valuable
This show and especially the live band were a real highlight. A well-structured musical, multi-layered and carefully researched. The different levels and parts of the musical fit together well. The headlines from historical magazines were a very interesting element of the stage design. The elements of transgender were very elegantly worked into the show. Above all, the orchestra was in deep symbiosis with the voices of the protagonists. Feelings of all kinds are very true to life, historically, sociologically, culturally and art-historically authentic and at the same time unfortunately also in tune with our times. What had a very negative impact on the mood in the audience was the part in which art censorship was addressed. People fell silent and sat in their seats as if petrified.
I had to catch my breath myself because the atmosphere was so oppressive. A very impressive production was the scene in which the Nazi flag was unfurled in full red to the full height of the stage and the silhouettes of the supporters stood behind it. It is very commendable that such productions are made so that we as humanity never forget what happened and hopefully do not repeat the mistakes of the past.
prices and dates
The performance will take place daily from January 14, 2025 to January 26, 2025 in Museumsquartier, Hall E. Tickets are available from 52,42 euros to 74,90 euros, depending on the day of the performance. This musical was performed in Berlin (17.12.24-12.1.2025). It will then travel to Baden-Baden, Leipzig, Zurich and Munich.
Hart Facts
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (including break)
- Songs: in German and English
- spoken in German
- Recommendation: from 14 years
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