Review- Cabaret
Venue: The Palace Theatre
Date Reviewed: 7th October, 2008
”Life is a cabaret, old chum…” and for this production staged by the Birmingham Repertory Company, it really is. From the opening number “Willkommen” right through to the provocative and downbeat ending, so many aspects of life are portrayed within this brilliant musical.
Wayne Sleep as Emcee grows into his role as the show progresses, going from smooth to creepy and back again with apparent ease. Unfortunately his singing is something of a let down, but he uses his charisma to project past that. The Emcee is the role which holds Cabaret together and Sleep uses his experience to bring together this show into a spectacle.
I’d Do Anything finalist Samantha Barks proves herself as both a singer and actress, dominating the role with her stunning voice. However sometimes her characterisation for the much more experienced Sally is rather naïve: she is not a woman you could believe had been through backstreet abortions before. However, her rendition of “Maybe This Time” and the title song are truly outstanding.
Henry Luxembourg as Cliff, Sally’s American lover, gives a believable performance right through his initial innocence about the Berlin he is living in, through to his horror and eventual rejection of the Nazis.
The supporting characters weave together the darker elements of the story; the ‘friendly’ Nazi and the impending marriage of Fraulein Schneider (Jenny Logan) and Herr Schultz (Matt Zimmerman) who are driven apart by the threat of what will happen all make this much much more than a simple musical. The Nazis become an increasingly strong presence, especially in the second half of the show.
Nudity is used initially to create a sense of fun, but via a final shocking tableau it becomes a way to convey the indignity of the Jews facing the gas chamber.
The ensemble play everything from the dancers at the KitKat club, suitably world weary in their lives, through to Nazi soldiers and the general population of Berlin. It is a shame though that many of these additional characters are lacklustre, especially in the earlier scenes where the city is supposed to be full of life.
In complete contrast, Katrina Lindsay‘s creative set, with wonderfully effective lighting, enhances some strong performances throughout the cast.
Overall Rufus Norris‘ Cabaret is an excellent production, not detracting from Bob Fosse’s classic film but making its own mark.
“Come to the Cabaret!”
-Helen Jones
October 11th, 2008 at 1:46 am
I couldn’t agree less with the review of Cabaret staged at the Manchester Palace, with Wayne Sleep as the MC. This show lacked pace and verve. It would have helped with a bigger cast to fill the stage. Wayne Sleep was desultory in many scenes and Samantha Bark as Sally Bowles lacks the acting experience, not to mention the ability to dance, or at least posture. Her voice is good, however, as she belts out the show-stoppers, but her fake, over-the-top oh so English accent was painful.
The use of nudity was unnecessary, although the tableau depicting the gas chambers at the end had a certain shocking effect. However, it seemed out of place with the atmosphere of the rest of the show. The build up of nazism in the film with Liza Minelli is more organic and fleshed out, something that the stage show fails in. A disappointment especially as I had been waiting for some time to see this show having not been able to see the revival in London.
October 11th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
We went to see Cabaret in Birmingham and Nottingham, may I just say what an amazing show it was. Wayne Sleep is just amazing as the Mc and Samantha Barks was just brilliant. Samantha and Wayne just made the show, everybody was raving about the show and I have seen this show in London and this show was so much better. I think Rufus Norris is a genius, his casting was spot on. The theatre was packed and the atmosphere was just electric. If you get a chance go and see it. If you have any reservations, look on the Birmingham Rep website and you will see the amount of people who have put comment on about this wonderful show.
February 11th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I thought it was pretty rubbish really! Wayne Sleep was creepy and limping around the stage – the funniest bit of the show was when he couldnt do a dancing scene so had someone else do it, but was made into a joke, that was quite funny. Some of the first half, was like an old peep show sort of thing, some of it was just a bit pointless. One woman took her bra off and walked across the stage, but didnt look like she was enjoying it or even like it was part of the show- was a bit odd really. The whole Nazi thing was just not very convincing just a stroppy man going round with an arm band on. Could have been done so much better.
However Samantha Barks was suprisingly good for a newcomer, thought she did a really good job.
I cant believe the original won so many awards, I thought the show was pretty bad as did many people I overheard saying as we were leaving the theatre. Was gutted as was really looking forwards to a good show, maybe next time!
March 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Saw the show in Douglas and was absolutely shocked by how bad Wayne Sleep was. Sam Barks held it together through force of her voice and personality but was clearly miscast in the role. I should have known better than expect to enjoy a musical with a past-it dancer in the main impressario role. Couldn’t understand a word of his songs and he seemed to be marking it. Wonderful effort from the energetic, athletic and virtually elastic dance chorus but where was the va-va-voom? Maybe it’s a tour that’s gone on too long.
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Just got back from seeing Cabaret at the Edinburgh Playhouse. Mixed emotions really. I thought Wayne Sleep was fantastic as the emcee, and there is no doubt that Samantha Barks has a voice, but I do think she is too young and inexperienced to play such a big role as Sally Bowles. I was also a little disappointed at the choreography for Mein Heir and the Money Song…maybe I was expecting too much having seen the movie. I know Bob Fosse didn’t do the original choreography for the stage show, but somehow I thought hats and chairs would be used in Mein Heir. The Dont Tell Mamma song was well danced and sung. On the whole it was a good night’s entertainment, but I wouldn’t rush out and buy another ticket like I did for Evita and Sunset Boulevard.
June 27th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
There were some touching scenes with the elderly Jewish couple, but I felt Wayne Sleep was poor and his bitchy, camp and out of character ad libs were totally unecessary, as was the obvious reference to swine flu.
I disliked the way the original show had been changed, so that things hinted at were now delivered with a sledgehammer, e.g. Cliff’s sexuality, and Sally’s minder, ‘Max’ had become the MC. The gorilla the MC dances with in ‘If you could see her through my eyes’ was now a pig costume he wore on his back. I am not against change, but what was so wrong with the original show that it needed such radical and heavy-handed changes?
Samantha Barks did well, but I could imagine a top class ‘amateur’ doing as well.
I liked some of the scenes played out within the set’s ‘frames’, such as the prostitute Fraulein Kost being inconsolable when her frumpish landlady finds a man who wants to share her life permanently.
A disappointment on balance, and I’m bemused why this rather bizarre production was so acclaimed in London.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Saw the show last night at Carlisle, stop being so harsh, it was very well produced especially when you consider IT IS touring, the cast were amazing and the “small” number made for some excellent performances and the way the lighting and constumes were used for effect lead to a truly captivating yet disturbing peformance. The pace was excellent at the Carlisle show although the band need to listen to the singers a little more and put a little more emotion in but that is my very personal opinion and technically they were excellent. Wayne Sleep was extremly professional and did not allow himself to “steel the show” either. A really well thought out and well executed production.
October 7th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Two nites ago in twinkly New Brighton(hardly noted for theatrical endeavours!)The Floral Pavillion hosted & enhanced the intimate nite club atmosphere of this memorable production.An energetic company compensated for the sadly worn Wayne Sleep,whose performance leaned heavily towards widow twankyesque panto;completely missing the cruel, sadistic elements of an M.C who characterises cold,germanic indifference.Whilst clearly a “trouper ” of the old school,his shambling leaden stage presence,decried the adage that”the show must go on”and left me wondering if he was actually in need of medical intervention?
Despite chequered casting in other roles;Zimmerman & Logan as Schneider & Schulz, stole the show for me,with understated performances and singing laced with genuinely moving pathos,their efforts added essential counterpoint.
Leading lady Siobahn also impressed,demonstrating the potential her vocal quality indicates for her long term career.
Very enjoyable.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
I cannot agree more with those comments above that are so degrading of the show. I personally loved it and would happily have gone again but it was sold out in my town, I went to the matinee today and tonight’s show was the last.
Unless you are an experienced drama critique I don’t know how you can say what a performance was like on a professional level.
A performance is as good as the person watching it felt it was. If people didn’t like it they would have walked out and certainly wouldn’t given all the applause that the show got when I was there today. Yes there was a lot of sexual reference in the show, far more ‘in your face’ than in the film where it is (for the most part anyway) implied. But this was done with a lot of humour and I found it most entertaining.
If anyone is offended by the content then I say ‘what were you doing going to see it in the first place’? The film itself tells a story of a Germany where sexual depravity, prostitution, titilating dancing and raunchy cabaret shows are common in a pre WWII Germany. So after watching the film with Liza Minelli last night before I went today I was fully aware of what I would be seeing. I had no pre-conceptions of ‘how well’ I ‘thought’ the cast should have done it and I was not at all disappointed.
You can’t please all the people all the time I am afraid. And if it came to my home town again I would certainly see this show!
November 7th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Apologies, my first line should have read I CANNOT agree more. I can’t amend my original post.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Really sorry to triple post on here but I wish I could have had the option to preview my comment before posting. My first line should have started ‘I cannot agree with…’. Ignore the word ‘more’. Again, sorry.
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