The World of Yesterday: A Cabaret Evening at Camden People’s Theatre

On for only two evenings, The World of Yesterday: A Cabaret Evening is a theatrical adaptation of Austrian writer Stefan Zweig’s memoir of the same name (The World of Yesterday: Memoirs of A European). Showing at the Camden People’s Theatre, it is part of the VOILA! festival – an annual festival known for its multidisciplinary and multilingual performances championing the best of emerging British and European artists.

For those unfamiliar with the original memoir of Stefan Zweig – or Stefan Zweig in general – the performance is difficult to follow. This central character is played by three different actors simultaneously and in turn, represents the three points at which Zweig “failed to save the world”: just before World War I, just after World War I, and just before the start of World War II. Yet, with little exposition and not much time spent exploring who Zweig actually is, it is not easy for the average audience member to comprehend his significance or why he believes he could have saved the world, despite impassioned performances from the six-member cast.

Through tracking the life of Zweig who – born to a Jewish family in Vienna – ultimately fled Austria following the rise of Hitler and Nazism to avoid persecution, The World of Yesterday offers a clear critique of nationalism, fascism and the violence of war, satirising the ease with which human bonds are shattered over national lines. Yet not much else in the performance is clear.

The inclusion of various musical numbers in a variety of languages (English, Polish, Ukrainian and Yiddish) appears oddly out of place within the otherwise fairly sombre tone of the play, although perhaps serves to highlight the multi-national nature of Europe that fascism aimed to erase. The cast is strong vocally and the songs – though strange – are performed beautifully. Even more bizarre than the musical interludes is the sudden strip tease performed by one of the characters, seemingly without purpose and definitely without explanation.

The absurdity of the acts taking place on stage may intend to mirror the absurdity of the historical events being re-enacted, such as the two World Wars, senseless hate amongst European nations, and the ridiculous bureaucratic processes that accompany the state of being a refugee. Yet without previous knowledge of Zweig and his memoirs, The World of Yesterday: A Cabaret Evening ultimately produces a final result that is more confusing than enlightening.

Madison Sotos
Photo: Courtesy of Camden People’s Theatre

The World of Yesterday: A Cabaret Evening is at Camden People’s Theatre from 19^th until 20^th November 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.