| CABARET - the good, the bad and the ugly | |
| Posted by: rogerad 12:19 am EDT 05/25/24 | |
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| I'm a big fan of this musical. I teach film studies and always refer to my students to the Bob Fosse film. I saw the revival with Joel Grey and Alan Cumming/Natasha Richardson production which I loved. I got orchestra seats for this new incarnation because of the buzz from London and because I like Eddie Redmayne. The pre-show is ok. It's not essential. I felt claustrophobic and nothing that I experience was compelling. the theatre and set are spectacular. Really phenomenal work. The pre-show on the set was mediocre - on the verge of being amateurish. Maybe that was the point? Eddie and Gayle Rankin are extremely committed but the interpretations of the characters don't give them much room to grow. They're both playing the end of the show. The darkness that is infused in this production telegraphs what is going to happen way too early. There is no joy and exuberance, and no seduction of the audience. I found Joel Grey and especially Alan C to be very sexual and enticing. Eddie made me think of Richard III and without any allure. Bebe Neuwirth is phenomenal and worth the price of admission. She brings the house down in the second act. What a performance. I found the scenes outside of the cabaret to be far more compelling. The staging of the destruction of the fruit store was heartbreaking and brilliantly staged. The cabaret numbers were a torture for me to watch at times. Joyless, uninspired and too on the nose. The choreography felt shapeless and uninspired. The ticket prices are way overpriced. I don't mind paying premium when the production is stellar, but this time around I felt that it did not deserve this pricing. Audience around me seemed really into it and enthusiastic. Automatic standing ovation at the end. |
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