Meine Damen und Herren, Mesdames et Messieurs, Ladies and Gentlemen! Do not delay going to the Cabaret! John Kander’s classic musical lights up Central London’s Embankment at the Kit Kat Club, with the infamous Eye peering into the souls of London commuters, enticing them in for a night of well-mannered frivolity. At the helm of this show, we have director Rebecca Frecknall, whose reimagining of the musical gained traction after Eddie Redmayne’s first unique and eccentric performance as our beloved host ‘Emcee’. Ever since my awareness of the collaboration, I was fixated on discovering more about Cabaret; then, Mother Christmas (my mum) gifted me a ticket. It is safe to say my interest was justified.
Come On In!
Before the curtains opened, we were already immersed in late-1920s Berlin. Upon entrance to the Kit Kat Club, we were given a sticker to put over our phone camera, a free shot of Schnapps, and an intimate, expressionist jazz performance from a handful of extremely decorated and talented musicians and interpretive dancers. It certainly helped me wash down my glorious Manhattan Cocktail (with sweet maple syrup) to mirror the excitement and unpredictability of the show.
Willkommen…
Overlooking a circular stage, anticipation was bubbling amongst the bubbly, and chatter slowly became more stagnant. Suddenly, there was darkness. The band was playing loud and almost disorienting. A singular beam of light then lit the stage, highlighting our new Emcee, played by the sensational Olivier Award Nominee, Adam Gillen. Straight from the word Willkommen, I was transfixed. The costumes were bright and bold, the cast was bizarre and wonderful, and the music made me feel grateful for the capabilities of human endeavours. To cut a long story short, I was feeling it.
The opening act encapsulated the show’s true heart: unequivocal authenticity. Gender was but an ancient concept. All members of the chorus were dressed in costumes that did not label or draw attention to any concept of sexuality. Yet, the genius of it was there is a consistent and obvious sexual nature – It is not for the conservative heart, as you can tell by one of the chorus members simulating masturbation to Adolf Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’. There was a palpable sense of cohesion and trust amongst the actors: their chemistry was unmatched, all orchestrated excellently by the Emcee, and the direction of Frecknall.
Tyranny> Tolerance
The second act’s progression, with a more overt plotline of the Nazi’s rise to power in Berlin, interwove all individual strands of the story into this narrative, connecting the characters in a bleak and dark reality. By the end of the show, all colours and sense of individuality had been stripped, and cast members were sporting identical brown suits and blank, expressionless faces. The tonal shift to me reflects current affairs – In a time where division is all too common in the world, newly elected officials base their campaigns on segregation rather than tolerance, and genocide is still justified as a necessity for ‘national security’. Cabaret is perhaps a morbidly accurate and timeless representation of the society that we know today.
A Jack of All Trades
I would be remiss if I did not mention Fräulein Sally Bowles, played by Katherine Langford. (You may know her from Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why or the murder mystery Knives Out.) Whilst the latter is my all-time favourite film, and the popularity of the former is undisputed (albeit, for controversial reasons), I was sceptical about Langford’s capabilities, as Sally Bowles is a famously difficult character to play. Furthermore, with musical theatre royalty Liza Minnelli portraying her in the 1972 adaptation, it was safe to say Langford had big shoes (or heels) to fill. To my delight, she did not just fill the role but made it her own. She was absolutely fantastic. As an Australian native, she managed to consistently sustain a posh, West London accent throughout the entirety of the production. When it came to her singing, I was astounded by her incredible talent; her range, versatility and expressiveness were second to none. I was simply blown away. She also acted extremely well, highlighting the vulnerabilities of Bowles’ character and resonating with her struggles with the crowd. I felt a great deal of empathy for her, which is a testament to Langford’s performance. She was my standout. Hurry down to the Kit Kat Club if you like the sound of this cast, as Langford and Gillen are soon to be replaced by Marisha Wallace and Billie Porter.
With the exceedingly impressive direction, bright and daring colours and costumes, and timely relevance that would send a shiver down your spine, it seems that life remains a Cabaret, old chums.