Inside Cabaret’s 2000 global performances celebration

Last night, Cabaret played a landmark performance.

Celebrating 1500 performances in the West End, the award-winning revival is now the longest-running production of Cabaret to have played in London. The musical, by composer John Kander, lyricist Fred Ebb, and book writer Joe Masteroff, is based on the play I Am a Camera by John Van Druten and the Berlin Stories of Christopher Isherwood.

Directed by Rebecca Frecknall, the roles of Sally Bowles and the Emcee are currently being played by Hannah Dodd and Rob Madge, respectively.

They follow a long lineage of portrayals, which you can read about here.

In Cabaret tradition, each cast enjoys a gala performance, and Dodd and Madge had much to celebrate in being part of the history of the WhatsOnStage Award-winning show. 

In attendance at the Monday night show were past Emcees and Sally Bowleses, including the show’s original star, Eddie Redmayne, as well as Self Esteem, Mason Alexander Park, Luke Treadaway, and Layton Williams. Other guests of honour included repeat attendee Janet Jackson (who enjoyed the show from a stalls box), Helena Bonham-Carter, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Graham Norton, and Denise Welch.

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The event coincided with 500 Broadway performances, where the show will soon welcome Billy Porter and Marisha Wallace to close out its run, marking 2000 global performances.

This was recognised in a speech by Frecknall at the end of the show. In it, she congratulated Dodd and Madge for their turns in the lead roles – the first to have to do it in an audience full of alumni – as well as applauding the creative team, residents, producers, front of house staff, tech teams, and more.

Celebrations were high throughout the evening, with press and fans alike clamoring for attention from the impeccably dressed arrivals. Inside the Kit Kat Club, there was the usual glamorous fanfare from the prologue company, with the interval entertainment featuring previous Emcees finding themselves back on stage.

Afterwards, guests were invited to share champagne, special Mr Whippy ice cream cones, and a live band. Of course, we’ll keep it in the Kit Kat Club, so we can’t divulge more than that. Remember, mum’s the word.