Nele Bauwens and the Zeven Schlagers

Cabaretière Nele Bauwens proves that she is a master storyteller and takes her audience to the café of Aunt José from her childhood. She digs in her potting soil and unearths colorful figures who populated this wonderful universe. At the same time, she exposes the core of the contemporary problem called alienation and the social function that the folk café had. Central is her Aunt José, with her 1m53 and bright red hair a real allumeuse or rather a small ‘matchstick with a sulfur head on it’. She ran the café as her own dysfunctional but warm family. It was her life, the customers her friends, even more, her family. And her niece Neleke belonged to that too, who let herself be immersed by her aunt in the world of schlagers and life songs. Just like with Aunt José, phrases from schlagers force themselves in front of her real thoughts! Their own form of Tourette, also called the oompalapapero syndrome in science. Naturally, this condition often leads to hilarious situations and… beautiful singing numbers. Funny, moving, ambiance, out of the (juke)box, tough.