West End CABARET with Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne - Page 6

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/19/22 at 11:18am

I think she missed only one performance between November and January, but in the past couple of months she has been barely there at all. I suspect it might be a Donna Murphy in Wonderful Town kind of situation, and it's not great that no statement has been made by producers. But yes, no refunds and impossible to reschedule performances to see her again because most of the (limited) run has been almost sold out for weeks. Interestingly there doesn't seem to be much "outrage" online and on social medias for all her absences. I suspect for most of theatregoers she's just the cherry on top and Eddie Redmayne is the real name who's selling tickets, and luckily he never missed any show - as Anne Jane Casey has pointed out in a somewhat pointy tweet

[Logan28]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 9:55am

I caught the show last Tuesday (absolutely fantastic!) I was surprised to see Jessie Buckley's name on the cast board when in the theatre as I've read how many performances she's missed. Just before entering the stage area I noticed signs saying they were recording the audio of that evenings performance. Looks like we might be getting a cast album? 

[east side story]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 10:09am

Logan28 said: "I caught the show last Tuesday (absolutely fantastic!) I was surprised to see Jessie Buckley's name on the cast board when in the theatre as I've read how many performances she's missed. Just before entering the stage area I noticed signs saying they were recording the audio of that evenings performance. Looks like we might be getting a cast album?"

Oh, lovely! I was hoping they’d skip the recording studio and do a live cast recording.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/20/22 at 1:29pm

I don’t follow the logic of releasing an album after the stars leave the show but alright.

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 3/21/22 at 9:33am

I also read somewhere that they filmed the show. I know they would want the show preserved now that Eddie and Jessie left. Hope they release it soon! I'm sad that I could not get to London to see this show, but keeping my fingers crossed that this version comes to NYC in the future. Whenever that may be!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/21/22 at 10:34am

West End shows are also filmed for preservation, like they are here for Lincoln Center. There’s been no reports of huge camera crews setting up to film the show for anything that would suggest a commercial release. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 3/21/22 at 10:45am

Someone on Facebook was part of the crew and said it was filmed. He said there were 2 Still Shooting Cameras, 3 Shooting Cameras, with a crew of 25. Don't know if that's for public release or just archival. 

Here's the link to the post:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/234779008479167/permalink/367490588541341

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/21/22 at 11:29am

Dylan Smith4 said: "Someone on Facebook was part of the crew and said it was filmed. He said there were 2 Still Shooting Cameras, 3 Shooting Cameras, with a crew of 25. Don't know if that's for public release or just archival.

Here's the link to the post:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/234779008479167/permalink/367490588541341"

No, that's the day they filmed the trailer and some footage material. They filmed pretty much all day before the evening show, but they did only selected songs and book scenes. I was there as a member of the audience (since it's so immersive they needed people around the stage) and they shot stuff for trailers, the Oliviers etc but nothing to be released commercially. On the same day they also took the pictures released a couple of weeks ago https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/new-images-for-cabaret-in-the-west-end-released_56068.html

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/21/22 at 12:30pm

Filming the trailer or whatever it was, to be released AFTER they’ve left the show is what’s confusing to me. 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/23/22 at 9:01pm

I went back to the Kit Kat Club tonight to check the new cast, but I think I was more surprised by the differences in the staff and the audience than in the ones in the show. I think it has lost the extra edge of being an "event". The ushers give away the sticker to cover the phone's camera instead of putting it on by themselves, and the result is that everybody put the sticker on their chest: keeping the inside of the theatre secret is clearly no longer a priority. Also, no more free water/schnapps/beer upon arrival. 

They give Fra Fee two new costumes for the opening number and "Two Ladies" to cover his tattoos. In Willkommen it's just the extra jacket that you can see in the pictures, while in "Two Ladies" it's a horrendous beige drop seat onesie. I think Two Ladies has also been slightly re-choreographed but it didn't quite work: it's not as sexy, people just seem to wonder and group up in different parts of the stage, and the song ends with the audience hardly realizing it's over.

Fra Fee delivers a very good performance. He sings it beautifully and I particularly like his rich lower register. His "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" and "I Don't Care Much" were two highlights. He's a very different type from Eddie Redmayne: he's half a foot shorter, a little bulkier/musclier and looks much younger. When Eddie Redmayne showed up with the blond wig and the uniform he looked like a washed-up accountant, while Fee could be a member of the Hitler Youth. He plays the part like a wicked Peter Pan, with a knowing smirk and scarier depth as the show goes on. He doesn't quite cut the same figure as Eddie in the skeleton costume, but on the whole I really enjoyed his performance and he will only get better with time. Some of the jokes in Wilkommen didn't quite land, but I think he'll get there.

Amy Lennox sings prettily and in a clearer tone than Buckley, but the character is not quite there yet, especially in the book scenes. I don't say this to be mean, but seeing her tonight made me appreciate Buckley even more. Sally can be quite unlikeable and the episodic nature of the book requires a lot from the actor to make the character work, and JB was truly fantastic in it. Her delivery of lines like "But the truth is, Cliff: I've always rather hated Paris" or "You know what I'd love? A spot of gin" is seared in my memory. Having said that, I never loved the title song: I thought it was overdone, over-directed and over-choreographed. Tonight Amy Lennox did better: she too starts as catatonic but never fully descends in the state of hysteria performed by Buckley, and even the movements are not as exaggerated. Because of the staging in the round she obviously still needs to turn around and around every few seconds - which is annoying - but she really sold the song. She nailed the last ten minutes of the show, her "Cabaret" and the final confrontation with Cliff were good and I hope she can bring the rest of the performance up to that level.


Omar Baroud is a good and charming Cliff – I know I'm in the minority here, but I really liked Omari Douglass and I missed his hopelessness.

Vivien Parry is not as warm as Liza Sadovy, but she has a dry humour and sings spectacularly. I really liked her Fräulein Schneider and I'm curious about her chemistry with Elliot Levey. He was out tonight and was replaced by Josh Andrews: he's clearly too young for the role and there is no way of getting around that, but I still really liked his performance and he worked well with Parry's handsome Miss Schneider. Anna-Jane Casey is so good as Kost, it's a pity she didn't get an Olivier nod. I always wondered how Peg Murray managed to win a Tony for this role, and Anna-Jane really shows you all the possibilities of the character.

The audience clapped politely but it was never as enthusiastic as it was when I saw the show with the original leads. Cabaret was the only song that received thunderous applause and even at the curtain call the audience was very warm but there was no standing ovation. Tbh, I think this has more to do with the way the audience "performs" while watching famous actors on stage. The very beloved Eddie Redmayne was getting laughter and applause for everything he did, while the current cast receives the level of enthusiasm that you would usually see in any other stars-less West End show. Fra Fee in particular is delivering a beautiful musical theatre performance and his main fault is not being Eddie Redmayne. I noticed that the gorilla in "If You Could See Her" was spunkier and funnier than ever before – maybe its contract said that it wasn't allowed to steal the spotlight from Mr. Redmayne? 

[east side story]

Posted: 3/23/22 at 9:21pm

imeldasturn said: "I don't say this to be mean, but seeing her tonight made me appreciate Buckley even more. Sally can be quite unlikeable and the episodic nature of the book requires a lot from the actor to make the character work, and JB was truly fantastic in it. Her delivery of lines like "But the truth is, Cliff: I've always rather hated Paris" or "You know what I'd love? A spot of gin" is seared in my memory."

Agreed!
 

[lopside]

Posted: 3/23/22 at 10:12pm

imeldasturn said:

They give Fra Fee two new costumes for the opening number and "Two Ladies" to cover his tattoos. In Willkommen it's just the extra jacket that you can see in the pictures, while in "Two Ladies" it's a horrendous beige drop seat onesie. I think Two Ladies has also been slightly re-choreographed but it didn't quite work: it's not as sexy, people just seem to wonder and group up in different parts of the stage, and the song ends with the audience hardly realizing it's over.
 
 

Updated On: 5/14/22 at 10:12 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/23/22 at 10:26pm

imeldasturn said: "I went back to the Kit Kat Club tonight to check the new cast, but I think I was more surprised by the differences in the staff and the audience than in the ones in the show. I think it has lost the extra edge of being an "event". The ushers give away the sticker to cover the phone's camera instead of putting it on by themselves, and the result is that everybody put the sticker on their chest: keeping the inside of the theatre secret is clearly no longer a priority. Also, no more free water/schnapps/beer upon arrival.

They give Fra Fee two new costumes for the opening number and "Two Ladies" to cover his tattoos. In Willkommen it's just the extra jacket that you can see in the pictures, while in "Two Ladies" it's a horrendous beige drop seat onesie. I think Two Ladies has also been slightly re-choreographed but it didn't quite work: it's not as sexy, people just seem to wonder and group up in different parts of the stage, and the song ends with the audience hardly realizing it's over.

Fra Fee delivers a very good performance. He sings it beautifully and I particularly like his rich lower register. His "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" and "I Don't Care Much" were two highlights. He's a very different type from Eddie Redmayne: he's half a foot shorter, a little bulkier/musclier and looks much younger. When Eddie Redmayne showed up with the blond wig and the uniform he looked like a washed-up accountant, while Fee could be a member of the Hitler Youth. He plays the part like a wicked Peter Pan, with a knowing smirk and scarier depth as the show goes on. He doesn't quite cut the same figure as Eddie in the skeleton costume, but on the whole I really enjoyed his performance and he will only get better with time. Some of the jokes in Wilkommen didn't quite land, but I think he'll get there.

Amy Lennox sings prettily and in a clearer tone than Buckley, but the character is not quite there yet, especially in the book scenes. I don't say this to be mean, but seeing her tonight made me appreciate Buckley even more. Sally can be quite unlikeable and the episodic nature of the book requires a lot from the actor to make the character work, and JB was truly fantastic in it. Her delivery of lines like "But the truth is, Cliff: I've always rather hated Paris" or "You know what I'd love? A spot of gin" is seared in my memory. Having said that, I never loved the title song: I thought it was overdone, over-directed and over-choreographed. Tonight Amy Lennox did better: she too starts as catatonic but never fully descends in the state of hysteria performed by Buckley, and even the movements are not as exaggerated. Because of the staging in the round she obviously still needs to turn around and around every few seconds - which is annoying - but she really sold the song. She nailed the last ten minutes of the show, her "Cabaret" and the final confrontation with Cliff were good and I hope she can bring the rest of the performance up to that level.


Omar Baroud is a good and charming Cliff – I know I'm in the minority here, but I really liked Omari Douglass and I missed his hopelessness.

Vivien Parry is not as warm as Liza Sadovy, but she has a dry humour and sings spectacularly. I really liked her Fräulein Schneider and I'm curious about her chemistry with Elliot Levey. He was out tonight and was replaced by Josh Andrews: he's clearly too young for the role and there is no way of getting around that, but I still really liked his performance and he worked well with Parry's handsome Miss Schneider. Anna-Jane Casey is so good as Kost, it's a pity she didn't get an Olivier nod. I always wondered how Peg Murray managed to win a Tony for this role, and Anna-Jane really shows you all the possibilities of the character.

The audience clapped politely but it was never as enthusiastic as it was when I saw the show with the original leads. Cabaret was the only song that received thunderous applause and even at the curtain call the audience was very warm but there was no standing ovation. Tbh, I think this has more to do with the way the audience "performs" while watching famous actors on stage. The very beloved Eddie Redmayne was getting laughter and applause for everything he did, while the current cast receives the level of enthusiasm that you would usually see in any other stars-less West End show. Fra Fee in particular is delivering a beautiful musical theatre performance and his main fault is not being Eddie Redmayne. I noticed that the gorilla in "If You Could See Her" was spunkier and funnier than ever before – maybe its contract said that it wasn't allowed to steal the spotlight from Mr. Redmayne?"

I was a click away from selling an organ for a ticket. Now I'm unsure , this doesn't sound like it's worth the exorbitant price.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/23/22 at 10:42pm

It's dynamic prices at its finest, my advice is to buy tickets on the day if you can. I got tickets at 5pm and they cost less than half of what you'd pay if you buy them in advance 

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 3:21pm

imeldasturn said: "It's dynamic prices at its finest, my advice is to buy tickets on the day if you can. I got tickets at 5pm and they cost less than half of what you'd pay if you buy them in advance"

Thank you, maybe I'll wait. I have never in my life paid so much for a theater ticket.

[Damiensta]

Posted: 3/24/22 at 4:24pm

I was at the first performance of new cast and they the free beer/schnapp. I liked Fr, n he will probably get better s time goes by. 
Sally Bowles on the other hand, has a great voic but actress is playing her so bland n forgettable. When she is not on stage, you completely forget about her. The female character that stands out is KOST. 
Vivien Parry is good but the age difference is very noticible. Specially when he says we are both old or something along the line.

The only time Lennox soared was in last song when she let loose

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 7:37pm

I managed to get a ticket. Do they really enforce getting a Covid test to attend?  I don't think I'll have time to get one prior.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 7:47pm

Yes. You have to show that before you can get in line to have your ticket scanned to enter. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 7:47pm

blaxx said: "I managed to get a ticket. Do they really enforce getting a Covid test to attend? I don't think I'll have time to get one prior."

Yes they do really enforce it.

 

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 8:36pm

Can I walk into a pharmacy and get one on the spot? Does it take long?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 8:40pm

I would really advise you to bring one from home. You can just show the actual test at the theater, but with cases on the rise as much as they are right now I believe they are still hard to find in pharmacies there. Just to be on the safe side, bring your own

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/3/22 at 8:45pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I would really advise you to bring one from home. You can just show the actual test at the theater, but with cases on the rise as much as they are right now I believe they are still hard to find in pharmacies there. Just to be on the safe side, bring your own"

Will do - thanks!

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 4/4/22 at 3:04pm

JSquared2 said: "blaxx said: "I managed to get a ticket. Do they really enforce getting a Covid test to attend? I don't think I'll have time to get one prior."

Yes they do really enforce it.

"

I am seeing this in a few weeks.  The email I received from the theater states that you either need a negative covid test OR be fully vaccinated.  See email below...

 

IMPORTANT: What to bring with you to the Kit Kat Club
 
Due to the intimacy of this production, all members of your party over the age of 18 must demonstrate their COVID-19 Status in ONE of the following ways to gain entry:
 
• Proof of full course of vaccination, and with the final dose administered at least 14 days before your visit; OR
 
• Documentation to prove a negative PCR/LF test has been taken within the 24 hours prior to attendance.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/4/22 at 3:16pm

Oh, that’s new! 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/4/22 at 3:41pm

I’m wondering if that was just changed, now that the UK is no longer offering free testing.