Review: Don't Just Sit There, Do Something - See 'Cabaret'
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Near the beginning of Act II of Wagon Wheel Theatre's production of "Cabaret," Sally Bowles asks, "Politics - what does that have to do with us?"
The answer lies throughout the show as the Nazis slowly rise to power, but Sally and her friends would rather party away, not paying attention to the world that is going on around them. Unfortunately, as history has shown time and time again, complacency leaves people at trouble's doorstep. And by the end of "Cabaret," many of the characters find themselves there."Cabaret" is not light-hearted fare. It is not a romantic comedy or an episode of "Will & Grace." It is not politically correct, nor at times socially acceptable to some. It contains content not suitable for young children.
What it is though is an eight-time Tony Award-winning Broadway classic musical with an important message as true now as it was in 1929 Berlin and World War II Nazi Germany. The message sometimes gets lost in the more adult content of "Cabaret" - sexual innuendo, bustiers, suggestive dancing, same-sex relationships - but by the end of the show, you should get it.
There's a whole world out there, and if you don't live in it, you'll get chewed up and spit out.
Putting on a show like "Cabaret" in this community is a brave risk for the Wagon Wheel Theatre. Some people left within 10 minutes of the start of the show, while others left at intermission. That's too bad, because the second half of the show really pays off. It's a four-star show that earned its standing ovation on opening night.
"Cabaret" originally opened on Broadway in November 1966, and is one of the most performed musicals of the American stage. The 1972 movie version with Liza Minelli and Joel Grey earned three Oscars.
In the musical, set in late 1929/early 1930 Berlin, Germany, American writer Clifford Bradshaw (Ben Dicke) arrives to the city hoping to find inspiration for his new novel. He eventually becomes friends with Sally Bowles (Andrea Andert). Bowles is a dancer and singer at the Kit Kat Klub, where they first meet. The club isn't the Ritz - on the sleazy scale, it's near the top.
Bradshaw ends up rooming in the house of Fraulein Schneider (Anna Ahlborn). Schneider, a German, is falling in love with Herr Schultz (Mike Yocum), a Jew. A German Jew.
As Bradshaw and Bowles live it up, they don't notice the subtle hints of the growing Nazi party. Why would they? Berlin is party city. But by the opening of Act II, Bradshaw sees the writing on the wall - or the armband on the sleeve, as it may be. Meanwhile, Bowles either doesn't see the trouble brewing or simply chooses not to see it in order to continue living it up.
In the hands of the wrong cast, "Cabaret" could come off as provocative for provocative's sake. But that isn't a problem for the Wagon Wheel actors who do an amazing job with this show.
As Sally, Andert is perfect. If you've never seen her act, much less sing, you really should. She hits all the right notes, especially at the end of Act II when she belts the title song "Cabaret." If the Liza Minelli version is the only "Cabaret" you've seen, make sure to check out Andert's performance as she will make you say, "Liza who?"
Clifford also is well-played. Dicke has shown time and time again that he is a character actor, but in "Cabaret" he also shows off his ability to play the common man as Clifford.
"Cabaret" is moved along with the help of the Master of Ceremonies, the emcee (Paul Louis Lessard). Before going into this show, I was not convinced that anyone could match Joel Grey's performance as the emcee in the movie version. Then opening night I witnessed Lessard do just that.
If I gave out my own version of the Tony Awards, one definitely would have to go to Lessard. He's mischievous, crafty, witty, sarcastic, funny and provocative. He's over the top, but he is the master and pulls it in as necessary.
Lessard usually is on stage with the Kit Kat Klub Girls. They're a fun lot of different shapes, sizes and personalities. At the start of the show, they're very happy and fun. But when they walk off the stage for the last time, they are all strung out and the party is over. Their bustiers are reminiscent of Madonna's "Blonde Ambition" days, and they dance in the opening number like they're auditioning for one of her early 1990s tours.
But the ladies (Erin Chupinsky, Jennifer Dow, Cara Massey, Erin Rinke-Vangemert, Caitlin Smith, Sandy Zwier) do it very well.
The love affair between Schneider and Schultz is ended when the Nazis make it clear that there will be a problem with Jews. Playing the older couple, Yocum and Ahlborn bring a lot of heart to the scenes they share. How could anyone want to tear them apart? Why does anyone want to stop any two consenting adults from loving one another for that matter? Ask the Nazis, I guess.
The whole cast of "Cabaret" did an amazing job on opening night Wednesday. From Crystal Vanartsdalen as Fraulein Kost and Prescott Seymour as Ernst Ludwig, to Skye Scott as Bobby and Derek Carley as Victor, the cast will entertain audiences for the rest of the run of the show.
As for the musical numbers themselves, I'd have to pick "Willkommen," "Two Ladies," "The Money Song" and "Cabaret" as my favorite numbers. But all the songs are well sung.
So leave the young children at home, buy a couple of tickets and go see some real theater with a message. Wagon Wheel's performance of "Cabaret," though dark, is engaging.
