[angelfan]

I finally saw Cabaret and to be honest I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. Maybe it's just me but I felt the whole things was very disjointed and didn't flow. Not much really happened either. The only characters I felt anything for were Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz.

I always thought that Wilkommen was sung by the MC but here it started off being sung by the MC before other cast members continued the song (although this might have been due to Julian Clary's lack of singing ability). I didn't like Amy Nuttall's rendition of the title song (a bit too shouty). I didn't get why some random Nazi sang Tomorrow Belongs To Me (and didn't get he point of the nudity in this number) and it lacked the menace of the song without the MC's final "To Me".

I also didn't like the stage design. I saw the sliding ladders idea in the most recent production of The Rocky Horror Show and didn't like them and they didn't add anything to Cabaret. The one thing I did like was the Willkommen with the camera lens in the middle.

I've always loved the score but I seem to like different parts of different productions (Alan Cumming's MC, Judi Dench's and Maria Friedman's Sally (although Dench did the best Cabaret). Despite the inclusion of I Don't Care Much I still missed The Telephone Song and Meeskite.

Maybe if I'd seen a different production I would've enjoyed it more.

[Felix]

I don't like this production as well. And can't agree more that Judi Dench is the best Sally I've heard!

[timbo]

Well said Guest_triplet_. I also saw Anna Maxwell Martin and was not very impressed, however, Kim Medcalf gave a stunning performance in my opinion. Haven't seen Amy Nuttall yet.
The symbolism in this production is amazing and thought provoking.

[Laughingmonsta]

this is a production that has me in two halves - i still havent seen it, but the casting makes me want to cringe and actually puts me off wanting to see it.

[Fluke]

I am desperate to go back and see this show but comments about the current cast leave me little hope that I would not be wasting my money. I think Julain Clary is a really witty guy but I just can't see him in this show.

[angelfan]

'Tomorrow belongs to' me IS sung by the nazi youth

Well it sounded better in the recent Broadway production (that started at the Donmar). I still don't see the point of the nudity at the end of this number in the show. Obviously it's important in the show's final scene but not neccessary for Tomorrow Belongs To Me.

Could someone also explain why the costumes have changed? In the souvenir brochure of the original cast Anna Maxwell Martin performs Don't Tell Mamma in a wedding dress but Amy Nuttal performed it in a nun's habit. Why the change?

[TBFL]

AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL,
What a waste of an evening, bad design, bad acting. Juilan Calry! Please! Cabaret is a fantastic musical that in this production looks nothing better than a high school/college production. Taking your clothes off! come on guys the west end is suposed to be the top of British Theatre!

Granted, Julian Clary may not be the best choice for the MC, but i think this is an excellent production of the show. It is totally different to previous productions and it makes you view it differently. So you think that the nudity in the final scene was not called for?? I thought that final scene/image is one that will stay with me for a very long time.

IMO Kim medcalf and Amy Nuttal are much better than Anna Maxwell Martin in the role of Sally, who just got on my nerves all evening. I hope they get another cast change before it closes, prior to the Uk tour, as would like to see it again, just with a different actor playing the MC.