Paul T Davies reviews Michael Trauffer in Fabulett 1933 at Space at the Surgeons Hall as part of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Fabulett 1933
Space @ Surgeon's Hall
4 Stars
During the Weimar Republic, Berlin, in particular, enjoyed a huge amount of sexual liberation. Although hidden away in clubs, people could express themselves and find freedom to explore their identities, and trans people felt safe and protected, there were pioneering practices. The Nazis changed all that, anyone not following the dictates of the Master race were to be persecuted and destroyed. By 1933, all of the clubs were closed.
Welcome to the last night of the Fabulett club, to its final hour to be precise. Created and performed by Michael Trauffer, he is a gentle yet commanding host, taking us through the personal as well as the political history. In a gorgeous sequinned cap, he is visible and the strength of the show is that it celebrates visibility. He also works well with the pianist, lightening the mood a little, and the songs are very strong, especially Oh He's Hating That I Love Him and the Lavender Song, each reprise reminding us that the clock is ticking.
There are times when Trauffer can make his performance bigger, to really fill the space, occasionally he feels a little hesitant. But it is an effective call to arms against right-wing prejudices and a cool reminder that those views still get applauded. It's a timely, brave, campaigning show that deserves to be seen.
Aug 15-27
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Paul is a playwright, director, actor, academic, (he has a PhD from the University of East Anglia), teacher and theatre reviewer! His plays include Living with Luke, (UK tour 2016), Play Something, (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Drayton Arms Theatre, London 2018), , (2019), and now The Miner’s Crow, which won the inaugural Artist’s Pick of the Fringe Award at the first ever Colchester Fringe Festival 2021. In lockdown 2020 he created the audio series Isolation Alan, available on Youtube, and performed online in the Voice Box Festival. He is the founder member of Stage Write, a Colchester based theatre company, and his acting roles include Rupert in How We Love by Annette Brook, first performed at the Vaults Festival 2020 and revived at the Arcola and at Theatre Peckham in 2021. Follow: @stagewrite_
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