Life's a Cabaret!
2008-05-12 17:05
Cape Town - The Festivals Productions' marvellous staging of Cabaret at the Artscape Arena gloriously celebrates the time when musicals were musicals.
This full-blooded thoroughbred is energetic and vibrant and offers plenty of kick, powered by the passion of its dedicated and talented cast and crew, and driven by director Teddy Davies's inspired vision.
During a time where musical theatre has evolved into tribute mish-mashes and heated up adaptations of successful films, Cabaret is a breath of fresh air, gracefully saluting the art of musical theatre, giving its audience a healthy dose of first rate entertainment and offering them a rare opportunity of experiencing an original that is exceptionally unique.
It lacks nothing, brimming with sharp comedy, vibrant characters, touching romantic liaisons, potent drama and powerful music.
Add to this the genius of composer Johan Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb - the team that gave us Chicago - with a fantastic script by Joe Masteroff and you have a guaranteed success.
Underbelly of society
Based on the play by John van Druten and the stories by Christopher Isherwood, Cabaret tells the story of an American writer who encounters Berlin just before the start of the Third Reich.
It is here where he confronts his own sexuality and identity when he enters the underbelly of society and befriends the vivacious Sally Bowles and the bizarre troupe of the Kit Kat Club.
Davies thankfully allows the original production to surface and shine.
It first opened in 1966 on Broadway where it ran for a total of 1 166 performances before it found its way to the Oscar winning film version, and is currently playing to great acclaim at the Lyric Theatre in London.
When you enter the Arena Theatre, you step into Weimar Berlin of the 30s, with David Davidson's impressive set design spilling over into the auditorium, allowing the audience to become a part of the magical experience.
Rich tapestry of human emotions
There's never a dull moment as Davies masterfully contrasts the gentle intonations of internal conflicts with the brutal outrage of external confrontations and playful sexual intonations.
It's a rich tapestry of human emotions, interwoven with a magnificent music score that is filled with memorable tunes.
Cabaret offers us a wonderful opportunity to experience the full music score, particularly some great numbers that were deleted from the film version, such as Don't Tell Mama and Married.
Julie Summers makes a feisty Sally Bowles. Her vivacious interpretation of Don't Tell Mama and her heartfelt performance of Cabaret are superb, as is her charming Perfectly Marvellous duet with Darren Telford, who also delivers a solid performance as Cliff, the American novelist.
Brian Winter is delightful as the wickedly decadent Emcee, the host of the Kit Kat Club, well supported by Trish Sutton as the German landlady Fräulein Schneider, Norman Murray as the friendly and likeable German Ernst Ludwig, Mike Tompson as a Jewish fruit seller, and Lisa Stilianou as the saucy prostitute Fräulein Kost.
Frightening salute to Nazism
Memorable highlights are Winter's If You Could See Her, featuring a poignant introspection of how Jewish citizens became outsiders in their own community; Trish Sutton's So What?, a touching lament of despair; Leonard O'Connell's powerful Tomorrow Belongs To Me, a frightening salute to Nazism; and Sutton and Tompson's touching Married.
Cabaret would not be the same without its truly amazing ensemble cast who make up the naughty Kit Kat Club Girls and Boys, the excellent musical ensemble under direction of Victor Tichart, Roxy Levy's racy choreography, Heather Earp-Jones's glittering costume designs, Gary Fargher's lighting design, and sound design by Chris Smith and Grant Faiers.
The team effort is evident and radiates an excitement that seeps through every second of this sumptuous staging.
If you have not booked your seat for Cabaret you better hurry as you will regret to have not experienced this amazing production and exploring the intoxicating world of Cabaret.
Cabaret is on at the Artscape Arena until May 31.
Booking is at Computicket or Artscape Dial-A-Seat at 021 421 7695.