‘I think about it in 90 minutes,’ says Kamikaze Cabaret performer Meow Meow, jokingly claiming it makes a difference. She’s surrounded by experts and themes of freedom, prompting a heartfelt question: What should an artist do in such troubling times?
As she performs a song from the Weimar era, the relevance of her situation becomes clear. This connects to the soldier’s wife ballad by Brecht and Weil. Meanwhile, our exuberant host twins explore a blend of Clownish Comedy, currently resonating through Jacques Brel’s work, mixed with the raw energy of the crowd. Audience members push onto the stage, engaging with their stars in a way that turns the performance into a test of how far you can push before the essence of the song fades.
The extent is considerable if you possess a voice that captivates like the Moonou. There are moments when the antics settle, allowing for genuine appreciation. However, at times, the performance seems to overshadow the music itself. As the show progresses, reflections on the political climate emerge, particularly concerns about the rise of Nazism and Walter Benjamin’s thoughts on history’s angels. With echoes of the 1930s looming over us, Meow Meow poses a haunting question: What can we do now, given similar dark clouds? Her uncertain response, ‘I don’t know,’ resonates, raising concerns but offering few answers.
