Bremner Duthie’s solo show ’33 (a kabarett) is a mix of music, singing and sorrow. It is a show inspired by a song entitled ‘Unsrer Shtetl Brent’ (Our Village is Burning) by Mordecai Gebertig, music that speaks about standing up to oppression. Gebertig was making reference to Hitler’s Germany, as he wrote the song in 1936, whereas Duthie’s show could be referencing any time, but takes inspiration from the time when Hitler ordered the repression of artists. The play has beautiful songs in it, but runs long and leaves the audience wishing for more stories.
Duthie opens the play by telling the audience that the police will arrest us for gathering in groups of more than two, but concludes that if we’re willing to risk it, he will perform his cabaret show while the memories of his friends haunt him.
Clothing and props are strewed on the stage and he picks through them to tell the stories of those who used to perform in the cabaret with him. He tells their stories but it’s a bit all over the place because he is mourning their deaths.
Duthie tries to keep to the line of telling his story and expressing his sorrow, but it’s a little tiring for the audience. You just want to know more about what happened, you want to get pulled into the narrative but it doesn’t quite make it.
’33 (a kabarett) is part of the Calgary Fringe Festival. There are two more performances in the festival. More information can be found here.
Photo Credit: Alexander Howe