The London scene welcomes a two-day workshop performance for this new original musical, based on the real-life story of a Jewish prostitute who stood up against international sex-trafficking. Guillermo Nazara chats with one of its authors, to learn more about the development of a piece audiences will get a unique chance to experience in its very inception.
How did the idea for the show come about?
I discovered this history while studying for my MFA. Searching for an Argentine poet to translate, I ran across a collection of poems allegedly written by a Jewish prostitute in the 1920s. This led me to the courageous story of Raquel Liberman, a Jewish immigrant to Buenos Aires in the same time period, and how she became an unwilling prostitute and risked everything to blow the whistle on the Jewish international sex-trafficking ring that exploited girls from Eastern Europe. My research revealed this dark and hidden past. Uncovering this story and the people who lived during this time became the essence of my graduate thesis.
The show deals with a very delicate subject. How challenging has it been to translate this story into musical theatre?
I wanted to examine how otherwise pious and respectful people could justify profiting off the backs of vulnerable women – a situation that happens every day, in every culture around the world. But theatre offers a brave medium to tell difficult stories and as a creator, I didn’t want to shy away from this material, no matter how uncomfortable.
There have been many previous great musicals exploring sensitive matters. Some of them use spectacle as a framing device, like Cabaret does with Nazism. Others go for a more dramatic approach, such as Les Mis. In your case, what been your approach in terms of style and structure, and why?
We are seeing this story through the eyes of Raquel Liberman, the one person who in real life became a folk hero in Buenos Aires, so her story is told in a linear fashion – from when she reaches the shores of Buenos Aires through the moment that she makes history by taking a stand against the establishment. In this moment, an ordinary woman becomes extraordinary. Because we’re exploring the world of the Eastern European immigrants in Argentina, we are blending Klezmer and Tango music to help tell this story.
As a lyricist, which themes have you attempted to explore through the songs?
The show has so many moments of heightened emotion depicting great loss, betrayal, treachery, longing and of course, love – and these moments are expressed in song.
Why come see Bordello?
The story is fresh, the music is brilliant, and the topic is timely. Our cast and directors are first-rate, and they have created what will be a stunning workshop performance that will rival performances in first-class theatres. In short, the performance promises to be a truly great afternoon in the theatre.
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Bordello, The Musical will have its workshop performances on 20 and 21 March. Tickets are available on the following link.