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Rooted in Transition

A distinctly Berliner dimension of this revival is shaped by the tradition of varieté. Defined by its cross-genre nature, varieté is a tradition that fundamentally altered Europe’s approach to nightlife and leisure from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. Melting acrobatics, music, comedy, magic, dance, and theater into a single pot, these live performances remain an art form that brings awe and a smile to Berliners as they gather, drink, and socialize.

Furthermore, tracing back the roots of the boundary-pushing, out-of-the-box, and avant-garde Berlin we know today brings us straight back to varieté: reaching its golden era between the 1890s and 1930s, these shows offered the city opportunities to think and experience beyond social norms at legendary venues like Wintergarten. Unlike the rigid, elitist conventions of opera and classical theater back then, varieté spoke to people from all walks of life – serving as an intimate, dynamic symbol of the democratization of entertainment. Yet, with the devastating impact of World War II, venues closed one by one, ushering in a prolonged hiatus. Among the most tragic losses was Wintergarten itself, completely destroyed during an air raid in 1944.

Naturally, a cultural force of this magnitude could not vanish so easily. Making a grand comeback on Potsdamer Straße in 1992 at its now-iconic location, Wintergarten has since offered the city the chance to re-experience this intrinsic piece of its DNA (save for a brief pause during the pandemic). Merging new-generation burlesque and acrobatics with nightlifesensibilities, Wintergarten Varieté Berlin can be thought of as a temple of entertainment: one that not only showcases dazzling performances, but also embraces glamourous guest dress codes and holistic experiences, honoring the past while embodying today’s rising neo-cabaret trend.

Ahead of The Columbist’s fourth edition of CURIO-CITY Experiences – where diverse disciplines and experiences converge to offer a fresh perspective for Berlin lovers – taking place at Wintergarten Varieté Berlin with a focus on varieté culture through a guided venue tour led by artistic director Rodrigue Funke, followed by a community hour, I had the chance to speak with the co-director of the venue's latest show, DISCO: The 31-year-old Rachel Dowse is an Australian who also chose to call this city home. Having started taking ballet lessons when she was six, she realized she was immediately hooked. And from there, the list only grew longer. Following high school, Dowse completed a Cert IV in Dance and Performance at RAW Dance Company and began performing throughout Australia and internationally.

“The opportunity for Wintergarten came when my mentor, Keith Hawley sent me an Instagram post that they were looking for dancers for a new show called Mad Magic.” she recalls. “I applied, had a zoom call with Rodrigue Funke and it was like meeting an old friend.” Dowse connected with Funke immediately. Before long, she was on her way to Berlin, a city she had never previously considered. Initially serving as Funke's assistant director and choreographer for Varieté Gaga, Mad Magic, and Josephine Baker, Dowse recently stepped into the spotlight as the co-director of DISCO, which she also hosts. For those who haven't seen the show yet, her energy truly pauses time, transporting the audience to a realm where performance is the ultimate, most exciting currency.

Varieté Through the Eyes of Rachel Dowse

“There are a few specific elements of Varieté that are integral to the genre; independent, world class entertainment in multiple disciplines, a host and in most cases no unified plot.” says Dowse. Throughout all the shows she has been involved in, these core elements have remained intact. Approaching a historical discipline powered by legacy can feel delicate; new interpretations could easily be judged, disliked, or cause confusion.

On the other hand, Dowse points out how Rodrigue Funke brought an innovative perspective to Varieté Gaga: “We intentionally gave each artist a specific character and tried to weave small storylines for them throughout the show. The central story was that of our host Jack Woodheads’ journey to Berlin and then filling the show with sub-plots for the audience to follow gave them a more layered experience of the artists, outside of their specialized acts. Integrating these journeys within the varieté format is very exciting as a creator, and gives the audience a chance to have a more emotional or related experience with the artist on stage.”

Rachel and Rodrigue started pre-production meetings and conceptualizing ideas in late 2025 for DISCO, a show where a spectacular dance floor meets retro aesthetics and mind-blowing acts, complemented by a mesmerizing dining experience. “We both knew that with the difficult state of the world right now, pure and joyous entertainment was what we wanted tocreate.” she explains. “The music and culture of the disco era was the perfect conduit for creating an escape for our audiences today. I’d say, the element we spent the most time on was finding music that fit the acrobatic disciplines of the artists we had cast.”

She worked with their music producer to create remixes and mashups of classic disco tracks, while also discovering fresh interpretations to suit each scene and artist, an acoustic ballad version of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” being a prime example. The results confirm that Funke’s innovative approach to reimagining heritage is a shared ethos within the walls of Wintergarten Varieté Berlin: the past is here to be celebrated, provided the future can be freely envisioned and beautifully experienced in the present.

“As the host, I feel most responsible for creating a dialogue between the world we created on stage, and how the audience is experiencing it.” says Dowse. “I think what excites me the most is you never have the same audience twice and especially when delivering comedy and jokes, you never know how it will land.” For her, the collective energetic connection in a room of over 200 people is what keeps her grounded in the moment. “Especially when something new is thrown my way and I can improvise, or redirect the moment.” she adds.

Reflecting on the ongoing rise of varieté, cabaret, burlesque, and various performance arts that possess a naturally glamorous core among the new generation, I asked Rachel how she views varieté's connection with younger audiences. “I think integrating current pop-culture or social media references into the upcoming varieté shows is one channel to connect with younger audiences. I also see massive value in upholding classical elements as this keeps the tradition of the cabaret style alive.” She then adds: “If the two can come together harmoniously, then you’ve got multiple points of relatedness for a range of generations.”

And what about the driving force that makes this intergenerational interest possible? Dowse believes it lies in the unrepeatable nature of live theater and performance. “You will never have the exact same audience in the same room, or at the same time ever again. To me, this is so special and makes each performance for both artist and audience, a completely unique and human experience.” To her, this human-to-human connection through shared experiences is precisely what needs to be nurtured and encouraged more than ever.

Inside Wintergarten: History, Heritage & Varieté

An inseparable part of the city’s identity, a legacy that always returns stronger: following our conversation with Rachel Dowse, and while DISCO runs through February 14, 2027, The Columbist is proud to dedicate its 4th edition of CURIO-CITY Experiences to the one-of-a-kind Wintergarten Varieté Berlin.

On November 26, 2026, at 6:30 PM, The Columbist community will gather at Wintergarten Varieté Berlin to explore the world of varieté. Featuring an exclusive tour inside the iconic building guided by Rodrigue Funke, followed by a drinks & snacks community hour, we warmly invite you to join us for this special occasion. Come share the joy, explore the history, experience the heritage, and celebrate varieté through new connections and shared curiosity.