WE ARE quite accustomed to Weimar-era cabaret in Canberra, indeed sometimes we suffer from a surfeit of it, but a cabaret with a political and historical difference is coming to Gorman House soon.

“Cabaret of Broken Dreams” bears  a familiar title, often used by theatre creators and cabaret artists to indicate a defective social milieu, in  this case the plight of the people.

Take 1939, for instance, year in which the MS St Louis, carrying 958 Jewish men, women and children, and others fleeing certain death, was sent back to Europe after trying to dock in the USA & Canada.

Now jump forward to September 27, 2013, where dozens died as an asylum seeker boat sank off Indonesia. Notice the similarity?

The “Cabaret of Broken Dreams”  team has, and, following the success of an earlier cabaret of this style, is back with mark II, described as “edgier and darker in our brave new political world.”

Readers need not fear an evening of unrelieved gloom, the production team has assured Citynews. On the contrary, they promise that the show will be  “fun, beautiful, moving and audience interactive.”

Blurring  the boundaries between time/space, audience/performer and captive/survivor,  the performers plan to take audiences from the “superficial glam” of the Weimar period to its edgier underside as the world slides toward depression and war in a  tale of two cities, two nightclubs, two cabarets.

Cabaret team Funkier Than Alice & Friends and Eklektika have reinterpreted the music of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Edith Piaf, Kurt Weill, Arcade Fire, Rammstein, Florence & the Machine, Garbage, Portishead, Chrissie Amphlett and  Gotye to make their point.

Enticingly, the organisers advise, “please do dress up (or down): Weimar chic (or grunge)!!! byo & snacks and bring your dancing shoes!”

“Cabaret of Broken Dreams”, at Gorman House Arts Centre, Ainslie Avenue Braddon,  Friday November 29 and Saturday November 30. Tickets $25/$15 at the door but bookings preferred to   judy@judithstubbs.com.au