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Cabaret
Cabaret by Laura Jo Trexler Publisher’s note: Laura Jo Trexler is the
recipient of the annual I walked into Studio 54 with much anticipation to see Roundabout Theatre Company’s newest revival of Cabaret, co-directed by Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall. It stars the incomparable Alan Cumming, reprising his role as the Emcee, and talented screen actress, Michelle Williams. Not only is Cabaret one of my all-time favorite pieces of theater, I recently had the opportunity to play Sally Bowles in the Brandeis University production, so I was eager to see the difference in production values. Naturally, there are many differences due to smaller budgets, different working environments (professional vs. academic) and the variety of actors brought in to portray these coveted roles, among others. Both productions, however, shared a common goal; tell the story.
The book by Joe Masteroff, paired with the hauntingly beautiful music and lyrics by Kander and Ebb, tells the story of a young American writer, Cliff Bradshaw (Bill Heck), traveling through Berlin in 1931, during the rise of Nazi Germany under its infamous leader, Adolf Hitler. While in Berlin, he meets and has a romantic affair with Sally Bowles (Michelle Williams), star of the Kit Kat Klub, a popular cabaret house. They rent a room from Fräulein Schneider (Linda Emond), an older woman who runs the boarding house and is involved with local Jewish fruit merchant, Herr Schultz (Danny Burstein). The two relationships flourish until we reach the end of the Act I, when underlying societal and political troubles are exposed, forcing each character to confront his/her individual coinciding fears.
The show is driven by the Emcee (Alan Cumming), acting as the “Master of Ceremonies,” a critical connection between the audience and the world of the play. He leads the audience on a thrilling journey from titillating excitement, rousing escapades and a promising potential for love and happiness, to loss, corruption, war and all of the tragic effects that accompany it.
This particular revival is an enjoyable one to watch. It’s hard to go wrong with a poignant storyline and moving musical numbers that are sure to bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes. Add a sexy, scantily clad group of Kit Kat Klub performers, and the effervescent charisma, comedic timing and mesmerizing voice of Alan Cumming, and you have a hit show. Everyone in the cast does lovely work. Michelle William’s portrayal of the “life of the party,” Sally Bowles, was the weakest link. You want to love her portrayal of Sally, but unfortunately, it’s difficult to get past the laborious effort the actress puts into acting like Sally Bowles rather than simply being Sally Bowles. Michelle Williams is an excellent screen actress because she has the ability to create honest, genuine characters. If she had done the same with Sally, the production would have been that much stronger. She had nice moments in her songs, “Maybe This Time” and “Cabaret”, in which Sally makes compelling discoveries that draw the audience in, evoking compassion and unexpected sympathy for her character in times of desperation and distress.
The one big criticism of the production as a whole was the lack of risk taking on stage. Everything was relatively clean and neat. This is cabaret. Everything should be stripped down, raw, dirty and out of control. Life is a cabaret, so let loose and get messy. While watching, it’s difficult not to question the artistic choices made. The performers are capable of more. At times, they almost seem held back, as though they lack passion. It’s likely the directors and producers played a large role in the choices made. In the professional world, actors are like puppets. They do what they are told to do, even if it means hindering their own choices. That is what they are paid to do. A lot of time and money goes into big Broadway productions in hopes that they will bring in a profit. In this case, with a second revival opening a mere 16 years after the first, the show’s integrity has arguably been compromised. The Brandeis production, directed by Steven Bogart, was also clean and neat. However, the MFA actors made bigger choices with their roles. Sara Schoch, who played Fräulein Schneider in the Brandeis production, was not afraid to explore the character vocally and physically. Realistically, she was too young to play this role. However, the time and encouragement she received from the director and music director to make character discoveries gave her the opportunity to flesh out Schneider, resulting in an emotionally dynamic, multi-layered, gut-wrenching performance. Her rendition of What Would You Do left audiences stunned, as tears fell from their eyes and the sound of sniffles echoed through the theater. Like Ms. Schoch, each Brandeis performer exercised his or her right as an actor to make more specific, and therefore compelling, choices and to take bigger risks, both physically and vocally, to further his or her characters’ objectives. It is difficult to compare a Broadway production to an MFA graduate program’s production, but it leaves one questioning the effects of the different environments on the actors and their individual interpretations. In an academic environment, actors are encouraged to make huge choices, take risks and remember that it is better to go too far than not far enough. The focus is less on bringing in money and more on the work of each artist. In a Broadway production, business is a predominant factor, significantly impacting artistic license and freedom. Needless to say, Mendes and Marshall’s latest production is entertaining. Marshall’s choreography is provocative and fun. The Kit Kat boys and girls will undoubtedly impress you will their abilities to sing, dance, act and play, in some cases, multiple instruments. The heartrending relationship between Schneider and Schultz, and the actors who play them, is undeniably captivating to watch, as is everything Alan Cumming does in the space. CABARET will leave you feeling like you’ve just gotten off an intense emotional rollercoaster. One minute you are moving along to the music, enjoying the naughty fun of racy spectacle, and the next minute, you feel as though you have been punched in the stomach. It touches audiences on many levels, and to differing degrees. It may lack ingenuity, but this particular production is still no exception. Studio 54, 254 West 54 street between Briadway
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