Cabaret's Real Stars

On Wednesday, 11 November 2026, at Resident Music in Brighton, Brian Fairbanks will share the amazing story of the real lives who inspired the iconic musical Cabaret. Fairbanks, an investigative reporter, has written a group biography that delves into the lives of the extraordinary people who inspired Christopher Isherwood's characters, including Jean Ross, the real Sally Bowles, and Wilfrid Israel, who saved countless Jews during the Nazi regime.

The event will reveal the weird and wondrous lives of these enigmatic and provocative muses, including their struggles, triumphs, and artistic endeavors in 1930s Weimar Berlin. Fairbanks' exhaustive research has uncovered belief-defying details of survival, tragedy, sex, and brilliant art, offering a unique glimpse into a world with illuminating parallels to our own.

Tickets are with the button beside the article. By attending this event, fans of Cabaret will gain a deeper understanding of the real people and stories that inspired the landmark Broadway musical and Oscar-winning film, and discover the vibrant Bohemia that existed in Berlin before the Nazi regime.