Meyerhold and German Cabaret Actors of the 1910s

This article explores the origins of German influences on Vsevolod Meyerhold’s cabaret prac- tice during the 1910s. It analyzes his professional interest in the early cabarets that emerged in Germany in the early 1900s, particularly the Überbrettl created by Wedekind, Birnbaum, and Baron Ernst von Wolzogen. The evolution of cabaret forms within Meyerhold’s artistic program is traced and examined through previously unpublished letters from Polish-German cabaret actor Mika Mikun, who collaborated with one of the first German literary cabarets, The Eleven Executioners, which opened in Munich in 1901. The article investigates the his- torical and cultural context in which German and Russian cabarets of the early 20th century existed. Special attention is given to the Russian-German cultural transfer: the adaptation of the established European cabaret format to Russian soil, which required the development of a unique poetic language and repertoire. The article traces Meyerhold’s conception and initiation of the first cabarets in Russia, his initial attempts at realization, and the ongoing modification, refinement, and enhancement of the literary repertoire of these early Russian cabarets. This includes the involvement of German actors, particularly Mika Mikun and Hans Strick, with whom Mikun often performed in duet. The article also considers the conceptual specificity, including the distinction between “cabaret” and “super theatre”: Meyerhold’s understanding divided them into two different formats, each requiring the development of a unique theatrical language and repertoire.