Theater im Keller

Once a no-go area, the Berlin district of Neukölln is increasingly becoming more popular and colourful – even with tourists. The flamboyant personalities that make up the “smallest stage show in Berlin” have been holding the fort with their burlesque programme for 23 years now.

The intersection at Friedelstraße and Weserstraße is as versatile as the district itself: the corner houses are home to two pubs (Reuterstübchen and Tripple Twenty) and an Arbeitersamariterbund (a charity organisation) office. Directly opposite, you will find the “Theater im Keller” (“Theatre in the Basement”), which is boldly self-advertised as “the smallest stage show in Berlin”. It’s quite something to think that it’s been around for 23 years, long before the Reuterkiez area turned into popular place it is today.

The burlesque theatre has 47 seats, and they are usually sold out. There are numerous shows every week. The guests come early and drink a cocktail or enjoy a baguette. Some of them are in high spirits because they are going to watch a burlesque show for the first time, while returning guests are more relaxed and full of anticipation. Though their hair and makeup styles aren’t quite as good, some of the ladies in the audience look like the actresses on the stage.

One of this professional troupe’s mottos goes as follows: “Laugh along with us because tears of joy are pearls that turn into diamonds”. All of the performers are trained mimes. Director and actor Michael Brenncke is a true fan of theatre. Born in Seier, Upper Austria, he went to Vienna to study ballet. After having an accident, he struck up a career in acting and gave many performances. One of them was in Munich, where he played the leading male role in Satre’s “The Respectful Prostitute”. An engagement with the Deutsche Oper brought him to Berlin and he ended up staying.

Brenncke and his boyfriend Ludwig Auster-Brenncke have been together for 35 years - they met in the mid 70’s at the Berlin International Film Festival. Ludwig was still living in Mainz at the time, but he moved to Berlin soon thereafter. Since then, they have been living together “like an old married couple”. “We understand each other brilliantly. He does the accounting and I do the theatre”, says Brenncke. In the meantime, they became a family of three: their adopted son Maik is now 23 and comes from Strausberg. He is in charge of the “Premier Lounge”, the newly designed bistro in the foyer.

The playback shows in the living room (despite what the venue’s name implies, it is not in a basement) include popular folksy songs by Maria Hellwig and Helga Hahnemann as well as pop hits by singers such as Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears. The troupe performs classic character-based cabaret. It isn’t all slapstick though, as there are also skilful dance features, avant-garde routines, hilarious interpretations and live singing. The best part about it is that no one takes themselves too seriously. This is especially true for artists Olga Wodka and Miss Günstig, who have their own show on Thursdays. As a guest recently noted, “This place is sooo Berlin!”

Michael Brenncke approaches it all with an unpretentious attitude: “We don’t want to be pretty - we make comedy.” When “the momma” doesn’t interpret the chanson “Je ne regrette rien” with much affection and belts it out instead, you know what she’s getting at.