By Marilyn Lester***Kabarettist-composer, Artemisia LeFay is a specialist, a vessel of the history and music of Weimar-era Germany. In her latest exploration at Don’t Tell Mama, Alles Schwindel (“It’s All a Swindle”), she has gone deeper into the darker aspects of the time—a reflection of current political crises and the existential angst being delivered without letup. 
In 1920s Berlin, much as now, there was a bounty of artistic expression, especially in the cabarets of the day, often commenting on, challenging and resisting the fascist political upheaval that led to Adolph Hitler’s rise to power.
Paving the way in the show was a gentle, rose-strewn path of artistry in accomplished pianist Renée Guerrero’s delightful “Irgendwo auf der Welt” (“Somewhere in the World”), composed with a hopeful air by Werner Richard Heyman in the 1930s. Bassist Clayton Thompson’s arco accompaniment gave cello-like depth to the pianistic interpretation. In very sharp contrast, an energized and passionate LeFay made her entrance with “Es liegt in der Luft” (Mischa Spoliansky, Marcellus Schiffer), auf Deutsch, followed by “Nach meine Beene is ja janz Berlin verrückt” (After my legs, all of Berlin is crazy), with music by Walter Kollo and lyrics by Hermann Frey, and associated with performer Claire Waldoff—also sung in German. Therein followed a mix of songs in both English and German, with 
narrative explaining each number and the context of their place in the atmosphere of political volatility in 1920s and 1930s Berlin. The comparison to current events was clearly stated, with a promise by LeFay of “going darker” than in her previous shows, in response to our own existential crises deepening.
One of these dark shockers was “”Abortion Is Illegal,” formally titled “The Ballade of Paragraph 218” (Hanns Eisler, Bertolt Brecht) targeting Paragraph 218 of the German legal code, which criminalized abortion— the aim being to force women into producing “cannon fodder” for future wars or “factory fodder” for industrial labor. LeFay also explored the work of leftist, American social activist composer Marc Blitzstein with Brecht in two translations from the anti-capitalist The Threepenny Opera: “The “Ballad of Dependency” and “The Army Song” (aka the “Kanonen-Song” or “Cannon Song”), a chilling work bringing to mind the current horrors of ICE. An ardent and dedicated researcher, LeFay also included “Black Max,” one of the collected cabaret works of contemporary composer, William Bolcom. Lyrics by Arnold Weinstein describe a a deathlike, elusive figure who haunted the streets of Rotterdam.
The title song, “Alles Schwindel” (Mischa Spoliansky), sung in German and English, is most accurately translated as “It’s All a Sham,” capturing the cynical and decadent spirit of the 1920s—thus its carnivalesque arrangement and uptempo interpretation. Most associated with Ute Lemper, LeFay nailed the theme of the disillusionment and economic instability of the Weimar Republic under the facade of glamour and good times.
While LeFay’s oeuvre and vocal abilities are first rate (she really can use a director to give focus to her passion), her strong suit is composing. She’s a gifted and indeed brilliant songwriter of music and lyrics. Her “Sehnsuchlied” is based on Goethe‘s poem, “Sehnsucht,” which describes longing for a distant loved one. The intense “Will People Still Be Singing?” is based on a quote from Bertolt Brecht: “In dark times, will people be singing? Yes—they will be singing—about those dark times.” Point proven by LeFay, whose own energy was uplifting rather than depressing. And to put a fine point on her presentation, closer was 1920’s “The Lavender Song” (“Das lila Lied”) by Mischa Spoliansky and Kurt Schwabach; it was a perfect choice for celebration and Pride month. The song is considered one of the first gay anthems in history. The refrain of “Anders als die andern” (Different from the others) is a proud expression of social freedom that was eventually suppressed by the Nazi regime. The happy audience clapped and applauded, capping an evening that was very far from a schwindel.
Photos by Beth Naji
