CABARET at the Kit Kat Club (2024) Opening Night Critics' Reviews — Page 3

These are so all over the place! Like critics saying exact opposite things about the same show. Wild.

Variety is mostly positive

‘Cabaret’ Review: Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin Lead High-Style Revival That Cuts to the Bone

https://variety.com/2024/legit/reviews/cabaret-review-broadway-eddie-redmayne-1235977702/

"All that stripped-down humanity onstage — from the entrails of broken lovers to the dancers’ carnal gyrations (choreography is by Julia Cheng) — make Redmayne’s Emcee a jarring exception. An otherworldly salamander of a narrator, he hunches over, Gollum-like, gnawing on every syllable as if it were his last meal. It’s a fiercely committed performance, but a mannered one, too. For the Emcee to exist as a creature apart makes narrative sense, but Redmayne’s remoteness drains some of the force from what is otherwise a grounded, gut-punching take on a disturbingly timely story."

akhoya87 said: "Maybe Cabaret should take out an ad with competing pull quotes with the headline, "True art sparks debate.""

Not a bad idea!

Azúcar! said: "Ensemble1713124420 said: "These are so all over the place! Like critics saying exact opposite things about the same show. Wild."

But they’re really not all over the place. They’re mostly bad!"

Well, there are a few positive, a few negative, and a lot of mixed, but what I meant was that they’re saying literally opposite things, like is Eddie Redmayne awful or is he the only reason to see the show? Same with Gayle Rankin. It’s like different critics saw different shows, lol.

Now I’m even more curious to see how this does with the Tony nominations next week.

These were the reviews I was expecting. New York is more conservative than London. With something like Cabaret, which is so well known, the problem is that to sell tickets it needs to be different enough, yet not step over the line. This version simply goes too weird in the wrong direction.

Enough people will want too see this for themselves, that they should be good for a while, but I doubt they make their money back. Even if they get name replacements, I think people will tire of the gimmicky production.

Sweet shows like Beautiful & Waitress are what draw repeat audiences in New York. Not a death clown Emcee.

DAME said: "The LA times review is right on point . I can’t link it for some reason ."

It's at Post #51.

These nasty reviews are mirroring my opinions on seeing this in London, amidst the critical raves there. I wonder if Sunset Boulevard will be similarly received here, in contrast to the London love. I was firmly in the negative on that one too and have been baffled by the acclaim and awards for both shows.

Updated On: 4/21/24 at 10:31 PM

Jordan Catalano said: "And also, repeat audiences don’t typically drop $300 - $500 on shows a second time."

Exactly. I ADORED this in London (I'll be seeing it in May here) and I would definitely consider going for every replacement cast to see what they do with it, like I do with Hadestown... but not for a MINIMUM of $100.

MemorableUserName said: "DAME said: "The LA times review is right on point . I can’t link it for some reason ."

It's at Post #51."

Thank you. This particular quote I agree with whole heartedly.

“There’s a school of thought that Liza Minnelli, who won an Oscar for her rendition of Sally Bowles in the brilliant film adaptation of “Cabaret,” was too accomplished a performer for the role. I’ve never given much credence to this argument, believing that movie musicals, like musicals generally, are elevated by virtuoso singing and dancing.”