Hersh Dagmarr - Vamps of Weimar

Soon it is clear – we’re no longer imagining ourselves in a pre-war New York basement club but instead we’re across the Atlantic in a Berlin club enjoying the kind of cabaret (or ‘Kabarett’) that would have inspired Isherwood to write his Berlin Stories which in turn inspired the musical of the same name.

Make no mistake – this is neither a tribute act nor pastiche – this is a love letter to cabaret in the original sense of the word. Hersh’s voice never falters, his range and intonation flawless while Karen Newby’s playing succeeds in looking effortless, their chemistry evident for all to hear.

There is humour punctuating the set list, we weave from Maria Callas to Britney Spears, from Edith Piaf to Hole, songs of such opposite styles and eras however here they feel natural together, none out of place in what is a tight setlist indeed. Dagmarr and Newby’s arrangements of those contemporary songs were reminiscent of their interpretations of the music of The Pet Shop Boys in their Indefinite Leave To Remain show that I had the good fortune to watch previously – managing to walk the fine line between creating something new and original whilst retaining the essence of such familiar songs.