West End Cabaret Cast Replacements

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 2/28/22 at 7:17pm

Since Eddie and Jessie are in their final stretch of their run in Cabaret, who do we think will be replacing them?

Someone on a Facebook group that I'm on heard a rumor that Lilly James might play Sally Bowles after Jessie leaves. THAT'S ONLY A RUMOR! Don't know who might replace Eddie. I would love to see John McCrea or Andrew Garfield. 

Who do you all think could be the next Emcee and Sally?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/28/22 at 7:27pm

One rumor that’s been around for a bit is it’ll be Fra Fee and Billie Piper. 
 

The problem, if that’s true, is that most people have no idea who they are. And while they might be amazing at it, the production has said the show would need to run to sold out houses for something like five years to recoup their investment, and I’m assuming that implies ticket sales at the same insane price point they’ve been charging. So any casting not up to the level they have now is going to cause a serious decline in ticket sales, something they can’t afford to happen. 

Updated On: 2/28/22 at 07:27 PM

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 2/28/22 at 7:36pm

That's a shame! This revival looks absolutely spectacular and I am so mad that I cannot get to London to see it. They would need to have MEGA stars do a long run if they plan to bring it to NYC. I still think it's possible. We've discussed this before about the difficulty of finding a theatre in NYC that can accommodate the "in the round" set. Nothing will compare to the photos that I have seen of the revamped Playhouse Theatre and the lobbies. The only theatre I see working (if they plan to bring it to NYC), would be the Hudson as it has a big lobby and lounge spaces and intimate auditorium but would require extensive renovations. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 2/28/22 at 10:00pm

Is Billie Piper really an obscure name? Former pop star turned the most popular Doctor Who companion ever? Granted that was ten years ago but the show was an international sensation.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/28/22 at 10:03pm

I wouldn’t necessarily say “obscure” but definitely not a name tourists will flock to as well, which they’ll need. 

[Damiensta]

Posted: 2/28/22 at 10:08pm

Per other board, Fra fre was basically a sure thing but female was tons of speculation. 
no matter who they cast, I just find it so strange that cast changes in basically 21 days n they haven’t announced replacement.

 

 

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 3/1/22 at 12:36am

Cautiously optimistic that indeed they will be announcing some exciting names as well.  Not sure I can wrap my brain around paying super high prices for anything other than established names to take over the role.  The production looks amazing and havent been inside the Playhouse since Cyrano a few years back.  I've got my eye on some great seats when Im over there this summer - but waiitng until cast annoucement before buying em

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/1/22 at 12:43am

Someone on the other board said the box office told them a cast announcement was coming this week. 

[Midnight Radio]

Posted: 3/1/22 at 6:45am

New cast was just announced via email:

Fra Fee as The Emcee

Amy Lennox as Sally

Omar Baroud as Cliff

Vivian Parry as Fraulein Schneider

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/1/22 at 7:03am

It's a very good musical theatre cast but they'll have to lower the prices

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/1/22 at 7:37am

Loved Fra Fee in Ferryman a few years ago here on Broadway!

[lopside]

Posted: 3/1/22 at 3:38pm

 Fee is a pretty good actor, great singer, but he doesn't have quite the same presence. Maybe in-the-round might alter that. It would help if his hair could be kept out of his eyes for once. 

Updated On: 5/14/22 at 03:38 PM

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 3/2/22 at 12:46am

Wondering if the production has some larger names already locked in for after June 27th? Names that would keep the show going at least what I suspect and hope will be a busy tourist filled Summer?

with such a specific time frame for the two leads in the upcoming cast (and that it looks quite booked up leading up until then) maybe?

I'll be in London right after June 27th so I am hoping

[ren598]

Posted: 3/2/22 at 8:45pm

I scheduled a week-long trip to London next month to catch Eddie & Jessie’s final performance and also catch another show with the new cast.  I purchased tickets in advance thinking their replacements would be named stars.  I have to say I’m a little disappointed, but I’m willing to give them a chance.  If the show is as good as I’ve heard it is, it shouldn’t really matter who the leads are.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 3/3/22 at 5:51am

Jordan Catalano said: "I wouldn’t necessarily say “obscure” but definitely not a name tourists will flock to as well, which they’ll need."

Billie Piper is *definitely* a name and a far more bankable one than Jessie Buckley. Even with her Oscar nomination the average public joe won’t know who Jessie is but you’ll be hard pressed to find someone in the British public who doesn’t know who Billie Piper is. 
 

Piper, similar to Sheridan Smith, is a very consistent personality on British TV, when she’s in something then people watch. Her last series was critically acclaimed, her last stage show was critically acclaimed. I’d wager that she’d put more bums on seats than Jessie did on name alone. 
 

Obviously it wasn’t Billie who was announced so we’ll never know. 

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/3/22 at 9:45am

Well, this is boring casting.  I'm sure they'll be good, they are theatre professionals. But the reason this Cabaret was a draw was the star casting.  Cabaret ALWAYS seems to be playing in the West End or tour in the UK. No one needs to see it again. And even with this avant guarde direction, it's not THAT different (and not as good as the Sam Mendes/Rob Marshall production).

[lopside]

Posted: 3/3/22 at 4:27pm

Owen22 said: "Well, this is boring casting. I'm sure they'll be good, they are theatre professionals. But the reason this Cabaret was a draw was the star casting. Cabaret ALWAYS seems to be playing in the West End or tour in the UK. No one needs to see it again. And even with this avant guarde direction, it's not THAT different (and not as good as the Sam Mendes/Rob Marshall production)."

 

I found this production better than the Mendes one. All of the Emcee's number are more piquant in Frecknall's version. The Schultz and Schneider relationship is also more moving and most importantly, has more humour. 

Plus, the Mendes had a crass, cack-handed finale. 

Updated On: 3/3/22 at 04:27 PM

[binau]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 3:55am

There is something about the iconic, virtuosity of Alan Cumming's performance that is hard to forget. He totally owned that stage and didn't need all of the bag of tricks that the director has pulled in this production. I do suspect replacements will work better in this London production though for the Emcee as it's so heavy handedly directed I wonder if anyone could do a good job. 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 7:56am

binau said: "There is something about the iconic, virtuosity of Alan Cumming's performance that is hard to forget. He totally owned that stage and didn't need all of the bag of tricks that the director has pulled in this production. I do suspect replacements will work better in this London production though for the Emcee as it's so heavy handedly directed I wonder if anyone could do a good job."

Fra Fee is so physically different from Eddie Redmayne that he'll have to come up with something else to do. Honestly, there were moments when I thought Redmayne was recycling movements and expressions from his Stephen Hawking...

 

 

 

 

[east side story]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 8:24am

Billie Piper would be fantastic in this production. Her performance in YERMA is one of the top two performances I’ve ever witnessed. The first would be Jessie Buckley in CABARET, oddly enough. Both performances are seared into my brain.

 

Updated On: 3/4/22 at 08:24 AM

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 9:36am

lopside said: "I found this production better than the Mendes one. All of the Emcee's number are more piquant in Frecknall's version. The Schultz and Schneider relationship is also more moving and most importantly, has more humour."

Did you SEE the version with Linda Emond and Danny Burnstein????

[east side story]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 9:42am

Owen22 said: "lopside said: "I found this production better than the Mendes one. All of the Emcee's number are more piquant in Frecknall's version. The Schultz and Schneider relationship is also more moving and most importantly, has more humour."

Did you SEE the version with Linda Emond and Danny Burnstein????"

I did see Linda and Danny in the last NY revival, and certainly found the current London production for effective. 

[lopside]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 9:55am

binau said: "There is something about the iconic, virtuosity of Alan Cumming's performance that is hard to forget. He totally owned that stage and didn't need all of the bag of tricks that the director has pulled in this production. I do suspect replacements will work better in this London production though for the Emcee as it's so heavy handedly directed I wonder if anyone could do a good job."

Alan Cumming's performance is iconic, but wouldn't call it virtuoso. He deserves all the credit for creating that version, but there's a reason that every school and high school production reaches for that one. I saw Michael C Hall do it and he was just as good. Maybe Cumming carried the humor a little better, but Hall was more effortlessly sensual. 

Joel Grey on the other hand, remains un-replicated. His characterization, coupled with the Fosse precision- choreography is just flawless. 

I caught this production against all odds and am so glad I did. It's great that a female director gets to put such a stamp on this iconic musical. I don't know the new leads, but I hope it still succeeds, and also so that I can hope to catch it again much later on in the year. Fra Fee is supposed to have in the Les Mis film but I don't remember him/ don't think he had anything much to do. 

Didn't get to see Buckley, but her understudy must have been channeling her, and was excellent, and very very effective. They might stick with this portrayal because rarely has Sally been this Bolshie and I liked that while maybe shallow, but she wasn't helpless like other Sallys I've seen. Looking at some of Amy Lennox's work on Youtube, she could most definitely do this version.  

But I do believe that Redmayne's portrayal is not one that could be exactly copied. It's very much like an expressionist rendering of a marionette who's both running things as well as having his strings pulled, and that physicality/choreography is quite unique, or at least molded specifically to him (must say the suggestion above that some of that grotesquery reminded you of Hawking is uh .. not great). I loved it. Plays so well into the whole aesthetic of the production, so clearly inspired by some of the Weimar expressionists. 

 

Updated On: 3/4/22 at 09:55 AM

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 10:41am

blah6 said: "binau said: "There is something about the iconic, virtuosity of Alan Cumming's performance that is hard to forget. He totally owned that stage and didn't need all of the bag of tricks that the director has pulled in this production. I do suspect replacements will work better in this London production though for the Emcee as it's so heavy handedly directed I wonder if anyone could do a good job."

Alan Cumming's performance is iconic, but wouldn't call it virtuoso. He deserves all the credit for creating that version, but there's a reason that every school and high school production reaches for that one. I saw Michael C Hall do it and he was just as good. Maybe Cumming carried the humor a little better, but Hall was more effortlessly sensual.

Joel Grey on the other hand, remains un-replicated. His characterization, coupled with the Fosse precision- choreography is just flawless.

I caught this production against all odds and am so glad I did. It's great that a female director gets to put such a stamp on this iconic musical. I don't know the new leads, but I hope it still succeeds, and also so that I can hope to catch it again much later on in the year. Fra Fee is supposed to have in the Les Mis film but I don't remember him/ don't think he had anything much to do.

Didn't get to see Buckley, but her understudy must have been channeling her, and was excellent, and very very effective. They might stick with this portrayal because rarely has Sally been this Bolshie and I liked that while maybe shallow, but she wasn't helpless like other Sallys I've seen. Looking at some of Amy Lennox's work on Youtube, she could most definitely do this version.

But I do believe that Redmayne's portrayal is not one that could be exactly copied. It's very much like an expressionist rendering of a marionette who's both running things as well as having his strings pulled, and that physicality/choreography is quite unique, or at least molded specifically to him (must say the suggestion above that some of that grotesquery reminded you of Hawking is uh .. not great). I loved it. Plays so well into the whole aesthetic of the production, so clearly inspired by some of the Weimar expressionists.

"

I didn't say it reminded me of Stephen Hawking, I said it reminded me of Redmayne's portrayal of Stephen Hawking 

[binau]

Posted: 3/4/22 at 10:52am

I understand why you’d say that with the various idiosyncratic postures he does. I am curious to hear how the replacement does and whether all of this will be mimicked or not.