Cabaret places its audience in Berlin in 1931, as the Weimar Republic neared its end and the Nazi movement gained ground. Mario Vaquerizo has taken the role of the Emcee in the Madrid production despite vision problems that persist after a fall. He says the role has silenced critics who questioned his place in musical theatre.
The 52-year-old says he now struggles more to recognise people and read some text. He discussed his new role on Es la mañana de Federico on esRadio with Federico Jiménez Losantos and Isabel González. Vaquerizo had never planned to act in a musical and initially worried people would see him as an intruder.
After six performances, the response has given him the confidence to carry on.
In an interview with Europa Press, Vaquerizo described the job as demanding, requiring him to sing, dance and act. He also has to use a German accent. Director Alejandro Amenábar saw the show and urged him to consider acting at 52. Amenábar was among the guests at the season’s public photocall, held at Madrid’s Espacio Delicias on 14 October 2026. Vaquerizo also took Concha Velasco’s advice: learn the work before rehearsals, then make the performance feel natural.
He began with vocal work, then moved on to choreography and the script. During the final month and a half of rehearsals, he brought the material together on stage. Vaquerizo shares the Emcee role in the 2026 season with Víctor Palmero. Laia Prats plays Sally Bowles, while José Pastor takes the role of Clifford Bradshaw. Marta Arteta plays Fräulein Kost. Ricky Merino is Ernst Ludwig, and Tony River plays Herr Schultz. Patricia Clark is Fräulein Schneider.
Alaska joined the radio conversation and said her husband takes direction well in theatre. She finds him harder to direct in their musical projects. The couple have appeared together in two plays; Cabaret is his first experience of this kind without her. At home, he rehearses his German lines while walking from room to room.
For Vaquerizo, the show offers a harsh account of human nature and the danger of repeating past mistakes. Its second half grows especially dramatic. He says he enjoys performing scenes that require him to cry. The Berlin setting in 1931 sharpens the contrast between the club’s entertainment and the political turmoil outside.
Vaquerizo said actress Natalia Verbeke attended a performance and later praised the way he conveyed the final sadness and despair. He declined to reveal details of the ending, which he described as abrupt.
The eyesight problem affects him both on stage and away from it. Vaquerizo says the fall damaged his macula and caused vision loss, but he has continued with the production. He has thanked fellow cast members for helping him settle in during its second season. He singled out Manuel Bandera for teaching him to speak and walk at the same time.
Several performers also supported the season’s launch. Rosario Flores attended, as did Marta Sánchez. Carlos Areces was there, along with Pasión Vega and Alaska.
The production puts 12 artists on stage, with tables for spectators to evoke a cabaret. Its specially configured Kit Kat Klub at Espacio Delicias places some audience seating directly on the stage. Vaquerizo’s published performance dates include 9 to 11 October and 16 to 18 October. Further October dates are 23 to 25 and 30 to 31. In November, he is scheduled to perform on the 1st and 6th, then from the 20th to the 22nd and from the 27th to the 29th. The production is scheduled to remain in Madrid until 17 January. Vaquerizo says there is no confirmed plan for other cities, though he would like to perform in Valencia.
In a separate Spanish arts story, photographer Vari Caramés received the National Photography Prize. The jury praised his use of blur and his place in Galician culture since the 1980s.
