Millie Perry
“There was a cabaret, and there was a master of ceremonies… and there was a city called Berlin, in a country called Germany – and it was the end of the world and I was dancing with Sally Bowles – and we were both fast asleep” (Cliff Bradshaw, Act II)
When it was announced that The Playhouse Theatre would be transformed into a totally immersive Kit Kat Club, I could not have been more excited to see Rebecca Frecknall’s revival of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret. Though the show naturally lends itself to a whole host of different directorial interpretations, it’s hard to conceive of ways in which newer productions can be innovative – Frecknall’s iteration, however, was exactly that.
From the second you enter The Playhouse, it’s clear you are no longer in London on a slightly mizzly evening in January.
Greeted by musicians, dancers (plus a complimentary shot of Schnapps) and the fading glitz and glamour of 1920s Berlin, the theatre has been transformed into the seedy, raucous Kit Kat Club perfectly. The stage itself is on first impression, perhaps, unexpectedly stark with minimal props used throughout – allowing the performers to speak for themselves.
Eddie Redmayne’s impressively physical playing of Emcee is a revelation. He manages to perfectly combine the sleazy, mischievous and vivacious elements of the character, whilst shifting to a more sinister and haunting portrayal in the second act.
Jessie Buckley, meanwhile, is an almost perfect Sally Bowles. One of the most popular ways for Sally to be portrayed is as effortless cool, sensual and sexy (looking at you, Liza Minelli), this iteration highlights the more tragic side of Sally. A washed-up performer, who, as Cliff says, has only made her way in the world by sleeping with people and whose starring role is at the Kit Kat Club. Her rendition of Cabaret was flawless, not only showing Sally’s fragility as a character but bringing home the tragedy of the musical, too.
You can find tickets for Cabaret here.
Featured image courtesy of Gwen King on Unsplash. No changes or alterations were made to this image. Image license can be found here.