Mark Nadler wears many different hats in his almost-one-man show I’m a Stranger Here Myself. Host, singer, pianist, historian, biographer, translator, and presenter all-in-one, Nadler guides the viewer on a journey through the Jewish homosexual history of Germany’s Weimar Republic. “14 years of unprecedented artistic and sexual freedom,” is how Nadler defines the period between the removal of the Kaiser and the beginnings of Hitler’s ‘final solution.’
The renowned cabaret performer uses songs written by German and French artists such as Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya, Marlene Dietrich, and Friedrich Hollaender. Sprinkled in are Nadler’s own musical musings about the period. Most of this musical holds space for Nadler’s own historical and personal ramblings, the majority of which are quite fascinating. He speaks at length about the impact of various queer and Jewish artists of the period on European and American art, occasionally tying these facts to his family history.
Lovers of cabaret and one-man shows will particularly enjoy I’m a Stranger Here Myself. Theater instructors studying small productions may also find particular interest in this title. The style and some of the humor of this musical may bite into its popular appeal. The pacing can be a little strange because of the lecture-like nature of many segments, and the occasionally over-the-top Nazi jokes will be grating to some. It is appropriate, however, given the subject matter; many of the songs presented by Nadler include heavy mockery of Hitler and his Nazis and allow the viewer into the Weimar mindset.
Some touching symbolism appears throughout the production, and though billed as one-man, Nadler relies on a duo of talented musicians. Between their accordion and violin and Nadler’s piano and tenor, I’m a Stranger Here Myself can get surprisingly raucous. The clever set design makes this small production feel so much larger, and masterful timing makes these small touches all the more impressive. If your patrons can’t get enough of Cabaret, they’d be very interested to see Mark Nadler’s examination of Weimar-era culture. Recommended.
Where does this title belong in public library collections?
I’m a Stranger Here Myself belongs in musical collections and would fit well alongside one-man shows.