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Cabaret
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
***** Once in a while, a show catches you off
guard, it surprises you, and delights you. This is such a show.
Sumptuously staged, it veers from burlesque, to grotesque, from bright
lights, to dark alleyways. Cabaret is synonymous with the 1972 film in which
Liza Minelli achieved worldwide superstardom with her portrayal of
nightclub turn, Sally Bowles. Its origins are the eponymous musical, first
performed in 1966, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and the
book by Joe Masteroff, which, in turn, was based upon John Van Druten's
1951 play I Am a Camera, itself an adaptation of Christopher
Isherwood's 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin. Subsequent productions have seen changes to the
song and character roster and this is a Bill Kenwright production, a man
who understands theatre better than most, directed by National Theatre
Director, Rufus Norris. As the United Kingdom plunges into uncertainty
and a prorogued Parliament, pre Brexit, so Kenwright takes us to 1931
Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, and the notorious Kit Kat Klub,
played out on a brooding monochrome set, with only stage lights to
colour it. It captures the zeitgeist of our times. Rising star Kara Lily Hayworth , who excelled in
the stage production of Cilla (also a Bill Kenwright show), takes the
part of Sally Bowles. Veteran actress Anita Harris plays German boarding
house owner Fräulein Schneider as she embarks on a doomed relationship
with Herr Schultz, a Jewish fruit vendor, sensitively portrayed by James
Patterson, who knows that a bit of fruit is the way to a woman’s heart. At curtain up it is John Partridge, with the
fabulous part of Emcee, who welcomes and draws us, and Sally Bowles,
into his twilight world of darkness and depravity, leering through a
camera lens, observer, commentator, and voyeur. A welcome nod to its I
Am Camera origins.
This is the strongest cast of principals I have
seen in a long time. Partridge, taunts, cajoles and narrates, sinister
and compelling. Physically imposing, he gives the air of a man that can
make you do as he says if you don’t do what he says when he asks nicely.
Anita Harris and James Patterson are wonderful playing out the vital
narrative thread of a love affair doomed by the far right. Harris sings
beautifully, with a rasping, careworn tone to her vocal. Schultz’s
fundamental decency, and his inability to understand the nature of the
impending Nazi threat, laden with pathos, impresses enormously. The production seduces initially with catchy
piano, and on -stage house band, until the temperature rises, and the
lights go down, leaving us trapped in the cellar club. Kara Lily Hayworth excels as the naïve, wide eyed
ingenue at the start, whose perspective shifts as the story unfolds,
culminating in an emotional, plangent, rendition of the title song at
the end. Her lover Cliff, played by Charles Hagerty, provides an anchor
performance opposite the exotic colour of both her, and Emcee, as he
struggles with his own sexuality in an uncertain world. The strong
ensemble revel in well written characters, and a compelling story. The movement throughout the show is a joy and
testament to the skillful hand of choreographer Javier De Frutos. Bare
male torso’s and stocking clad showgirls abound, a flash of breasts and
male nudity teases and tantalises. Two set piece scenes stand out, firstly with
Emcee as part chariot driver, part puppet master, his minions on reins.
Secondly a stunning fight scene in which Hagerty is beaten up by the
Nazis, part street mugging, part sadomasochistic extravaganza. Unlike most musicals, the end is downbeat, but
powerful. Hayworth delivers Cabaret not as a show stopping,
barnstorming finale, as in the film. Instead it is reflective, resigned
and rueful. An ironic delivery, restrained, under sung, but all the more
powerful for it. Just previously , Partridge had sung If You Could
See Her, poignant, and with outstanding tone. Indeed throughout,
the lyrics, by Fred Ebb stand out as intelligent and clever, a cut above
almost all of his peers. A perky, vibrant, chorus line, superbly costumed,
engage and strut with vim and verve. This is an excellent revival,
capturing the frenetic fragility of our times, luring us into hedonistic
escape before we pay. Wolverhampton is only the second stop on the tour,
so there is plenty of opportunity to catch it either in Wolverhampton,
or around the country. Do not miss this . . . in the words of Sally
Bowles:
“ What good
is sitting, alone in the room? Come, hear the music play Life is a cabaret, old chum Come to the cabaret!
”
To 07-09-19 and then on tour appearing at Malvern
19-11-19 Gary Longden 03-09-19 |
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