CABARET at the Kit Kat Club Previews- Page 15

[BdwayLife]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 11:16am

FANtomFollies said: "Apparently an audience member walked up to the stage and grabbed Eddie Redmayne's costume tonight? Anybody there to give any more details?"

Unrelated, but...

I was there the night before, and watched the cast bring audience members up onto the stage, at the top of Act 2, to dance.  One audience member slopped her drink all over the stage (understandability). As the official performance began, stage hands were on the stage, wiping it up. TBH, it felt a bit like a mess, and didn't add to the show. Curious if this is a nighty occurrence? 

P.S.: Anna Wintour was hosting a pre show cocktail party upstairs, adjacent to the bar--gotta say, making eye contact with High Jackman, three feet away, was the highlight of the evening for me. :)  

EDIT: Also wanted to mention, when I entered "the club" staff handed me the infamous sticker, and smiled. No comment about not using the camera.   Has this practice changed?

Updated On: 4/21/24 at 11:16 AM

[BJR]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 12:20pm

It's interesting all the glowing things I heard personally about this production while running in London, and now the cool reception on these boards.

And while it was fair to question Patti's GYPSY revival 5 years after Bernadette's, this one feels a bit different. The last revival was a full 10 years ago. And although I thought it was still a fantastic production, it also had a slightly dated sensibility to it, since we were no longer in the heroin-chic hypersexual 90s.

[yahyahyah]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 1:46pm

For what it’s worth, here are my thoughts I posted from seeing it in London in 2022:

Overall, despite the beautiful production design, I do not think it was more effective than the Mendes revival. It was less so for me. Often the book scenes seemed shapeless and the actors left at sea. Some of the principals seemed to be pushing hard, and perhaps lacked some life experience to ground the gravity of this story. A young cast, which is lovely to see, but perhaps that is the trade off. 
—

After seeing the Broadway production in previews, I have to say, what I thought might have been weaknesses on the part of some of the London performers—I now see as weaknesses of the director. I don’t think she really has much new to say with this production. The designers did most of the interesting work here. But even the concept is muddled. For one, where are we? Why go through much trouble/remodel theatres to make it “lightly immersive” of the period but then have automatic raising platforms and automated trap door and handless mics (and ensemble in Timberland boots etc?) Seems like she is relying on modern tricks and out-of-place spectacle as she couldn’t fully commit to immersing/transporting us to the true period and essence of a Berlin-era club that would take a little more vision/work/innovation to excite within those limitations—like the challenge of staging production numbers in the round, etc. 
 

I do not think the director does well with the scenework. She is very economical in the book’s staging, which at first glance seems chic, but the story gets away from her. The relationships are not mined fully. The actors speak quickly and simply and move swiftly through it, seemingly to void any whiff of “sentimentalism” but missing emotional arcs as the trade-off. It’s very flat. I think the Cliffs suffer the most for this lack of investigation. I’m not sure the director truly understands/makes sense of the protagonist’s journey. And I am of the mind, again after seeing both productions and actors, that it is not the Cliffs fault. They were both directed very similarly. It is a hard role—it has been pared down over time—and seems to require that the actor/director bring a bit more meat to the fragmented structure. He never gets an “I Want” song—what does he want? What’s at risk? How does he change/grow from beginning to end and why? I don’t think the director has really cracked this table work compared to other productions. 
 

Sally is much more clearly drawn. The big emotional arc is obvious. The songs support the journey. And I’m not quite sure what to say about the Emcee choices here. I do think it’s interesting to observe. But again, what and where are we? Do we believe this is actually a human that has a life backstage with these other performers or is he simply some other worldly spectral clown that haunts the Klub via computer automated trapdoors? 
 

And the camera sticker drama. Why? There is nothing risqué about this production/stagijg. No reason for it, or a yondr pouch, etc over any other broadway show. I think it’s all just to create mystique/hype/sense that the audience is having an “unique” experience. 
 

But this is one of the best musicals in existence, and it can and will stand the test of many directors. 

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 2:34pm

Sounds like my review of the London production is similar to this one - enjoyable because Cabaret is a good show, but this production just isn’t as powerful or lasting as others. It’s trying to be, but it’s not there.

The set/theatre design really is beautiful, and a lot of work clearly went into this, so I’m sure Redmayne and Neuwirth’s names will bring in audiences and whoever they have coming in after will do the same. Wishing them luck.

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 3:18pm

I agree.  The scene work is sterile .  

[Ensemble1713386029]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 3:58pm

And the camera sticker drama. Why? There is nothing risqué about this production/stagijg. No reason for it, or a yondr pouch, etc over any other broadway show. I think it’s all just to create mystique/hype/sense that the audience is having an“unique” experience.
 

Doesn't one character come out topless? Do they not in this production?

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 4:01pm

Eddie is the only actor who is topless in this. 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 4:09pm

Did anyone here see Jake Shears and Self Esteem in the London show? Just listening to their EP now, it’s great! Hopefully at least one of them makes it to Broadway too.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 4:10pm

BdwayLife said: "FANtomFollies said: "Apparently an audience member walked up to the stage and grabbed Eddie Redmayne's costume tonight? Anybody there to give any more details?"

Unrelated, but...

I was there the night before, and watched the cast bring audience members up onto the stage, at the top of Act 2, to dance. One audience member slopped her drink all over the stage (understandability). As the official performance began, stage hands were on the stage, wiping it up. TBH, it felt a bit like a mess, and didn't add to the show. Curious if this is a nighty occurrence?

P.S.: Anna Wintour was hosting a pre show cocktail party upstairs, adjacent to the bar--gotta say, making eye contact with High Jackman, three feet away, was the highlight of the evening for me. :)

EDIT: Also wanted to mention, when I entered "the club" staff handed me the infamous sticker, and smiled. No comment about not using the camera. Has this practice changed?"

Bringing a couple audience members on stage to dance with the Emcee before the start of Act 2 was also a thing in the Mendes production. Not sure if that’s where it started or how many other productions have done it before or since. I know we did it when we did the show at my undergrad in 1999, but that production/director was heavily “inspired” by (ie stealing from) the Mendes revival.

[DAME]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 4:17pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Did anyone here see Jake Shears and Self Esteem in the London show? Just listening to their EP now, it’s great! Hopefully at least one of them makes it to Broadway too."

Jake was wonderful.  Not that much different than what Eddie is doing. But I did prefer him. Probably because I am a fan.  

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 4:25pm

Jake was out when I went last. Self Esteem was fine. She was serviceable in the role, I thought. 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/21/24 at 4:30pm

Thanks. Jake seems perfect for the role. Though I suppose the only reason they got an EP was because of their outside music careers, not because they outshone the originals.

[SellingOut]

Posted: 4/29/24 at 10:20pm

I just got my tickets for a Wednesday matinee, unfortunately Gayle Rankin won’t be in but still looking forward to seeing this show.  I do hope Bebe will be in though.

I was able to get 2nd row mezzanine which looks good.