Ahoi: an evening of swing, acrobatics and 1930s glamour

Wintergarten Varieté, Berlin
July 3, 2026

In a street dominated by incessant traffic, eclectic crowds and homeless people, but where stylish galleries are tucked away in secluded courtyards, there is a place that glows with eye-catching luxury: the Wintergarten Berlin. It’s a cabaret theatre where everything is as beautiful as it is magical, from the interior design of every corner to the performances staged within.

It is a strange yet exquisitely refined experience to enter this theatre for the first time, a world unto itself. The atmosphere is enchanting, almost spellbinding, and the spirit feels familiar, warm and welcomingly friendly.

The Wintergarten Berlin dates back to 1887, when it opened in Friedrichstraße in Mitte, a different part of city from where the theatre is now located. After being destroyed by Second World War bombing in 1944, it was reopened by Bernhard Paul and André Heller in 1992 on Potsdamer Straße, bringing back the charm and magic of the 1920s.

Cabaret has been long embedded in German culture, in Berlin particularly since the ‘Golden Twenties’. It continues to thrive in the German capital and is presented here as a multi-layered show that combines modern acrobatics, dance, music and comedy.

Ahoi is built around the concept of being on a cruise, and takes the audience on an immersive journey aboard a luxury liner of the 1930s. There is a big band, the captain, the singer, the painter, the dancers, the acrobats and much more.

As spectators, we are on board, watching the fantastic performers who move under the captain David Hermlin’s direction. He is the catalyst for Ahoi, vibrant, playful and brimming with constant high energy, keeping everyone enthralled and fully engaged. He’s also a charismatic, multi-talented artist who plays the drums, the piano, sings, dances tap and delivers stand-up comedy, all with ease, charm and an intoxicating zest. He is also the music director of the entire show, arranging all the songs and composing most of them.

The performers’ familiarity and playfulness are exquisite. The singer is David Hermlin’s sister, Rachel Hermlin, and their father is the pianist for the Wintergarten music ensemble. That sense of closeness threads through the entire show and feels especially meaningful once you understand their connection.

Each performer is extraordinary, mesmerising us in grand style from juggler Markian Strotsiak, who balances at great heights while juggling, to Sergey Gussar, who astonishingly balances glasses on knives on his forehead and, in another moment, creates a kind of bird-like silhouette, everything driven by pure equilibrium.

There is also the South American Duo Enominne (José Cuenca and Byron Malquin Castillo), whose impressive aerial act includes hanging by their hair. Ukrainian couple Dasha and Vadym glide through their dances in the air, their choreography always romantic and delicate. Also in the air, Sofiya, aged just 18, moves gracefully and sensually on her aerial hoop. Vlad Naraieva balances proudly and elegantly on one hand on a pedestal, moving circus-circles around her feet. One of the Ethio brothers twists and bends his spine with the uncanny precision of a seemingly plastic and overly elastic vertebral column.

The skill, craftsmanship and indeed bravery of the juggler-acrobats and dancer-acrobats are deeply impressive. They were truly awe-inspiring.

Ahoi is absolutely an event that makes the audience travel into a parallel world, a magical one. The beauty of the interior – velvet furnishings, dark-wood furniture, massive bouquets of colourful fresh flowers, posters from the 1930s, a starry sky and installations from past performances – turns the theatre into a fascinating reliquary cabaret museum in its own right. And last but not least, the restrooms are a fabulous experience in their own right.

Above all, this spectacle is notable for its international character. It may be spoken in German and sung in English, but it is a show that communicates in multiple languages, bringing a refreshing artistic spark and superb craftsmanship to the Berlin theatre scene.

Ahoi is at the Wintergarten Varieté, Berlin to July 19, 2026.