CABARET at the Kit Kat Club Previews- Page 4

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 7:00pm

Matt Rogers said: "How would you know anything about “fewer members here” attending? Have you added psychic abilities to your endlessresume of Broadwayworld skills?"

Because almost every single poster on here complains about high ticket prices and the first preview prices for this were exceptionally high. I don’t think Kad is judging anyone. They’re just making the assumption that this show in particular seems less likely to attract members of this board for the first preview compared to other first previews that might not be as expensive or hard to get tickets to.

Personally speaking, for most of the first previews I’ve seen, I’ve purchased tickets day-of or fairly close to day-of. Looking at seats last minute for Cabaret, prices were $200 and up, so I decided not to bite the bullet. I’ll probably just wait until my previously purchased date a month and a half from now.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 7:00pm

magicfingers said: "I hated it in London. The entire production is way too garish. It has zero flair to it. The Kit Kat girls are not sexy and not seductive. The entire premise of the first act rests on the girls and MC seducing the audience into complacency- as a metaphor for Nazi Germany. The only really seduction happening in this production is between the two octaganarians. And that’s not how cabaret was written."

You know how Cabaret was written better than the people who wrote it/control it?  Are you aware that John Kander and the Estates of the other authors had approval of both the London production and the Broadway transfer? I think I trust them to know how Cabaret was written. 

[Ensemble1696584123]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 7:33pm

I hope they have a great first preview, but the way posts here have been does not make me optimistic that we'll get any balanced, thoughtful and informed discussion about this production. There have been too many people here complaining about why Cabaret of all things did not bottle-feed them and coddle them. There's also one mad post where it looks like someone was huffing glue while writing it.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 8:28pm

Four pages in and so far it’s bat **** crazy posting. 

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 8:40pm

rosscoe(au) said: "Four pages in and so far it’s bat **** crazy posting."

I love it!

[dan94]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 8:52pm

blasvader said: "If it ''scares you off'', I'd say Cabaret wasn't the show for you in the first place. Do people even know that kind of art that was being created and performed at that time? Only to be later branded degenerate by the Nazis? And people complaining about it, for this particular version, when it has some very beautifully presented club numbers, truly bizarre."

It didn't scare me off. I meant the people who would have been in the audience of the Kit Kat Club. I got a Sally who was outright screaming the songs from Don't Tell Mama on. Audiences in Berlin wouldn't return, considering the bevy of offerings at the time, to that specific club when there is such a glaring lack of talent and an inability to even get a drink without being screeched at. There's a fine line between talent-deficient and profoundly unpleasant.

As for the beautifully presented club numbers - I'm happy you found them so. For me - every number was choreographed in a completely different style, with a completely different vocabulary, and seemed to be happening in a totally different era. One number seemed like it was from Cabaret. The next was choreo straight out of Hamilton. Later there was a Stephen Hoggett-esque movement piece.

It underlined the main problem I had with the production - a lack of specificity. The production traverses eras and references knowingly, and I thought it lost specificity along the way. I did not get the sense these were specific people in a specific era under a set of specific circumstances. If you want to talk about art that was happening at the time, as you well know, the more burlesque style cabaret houses tended to not be the same venues as the politically motivated cabarets. The Kit Kat club itself in the show is a melding of places. To further meld did not work for me. This production, at least in London, wants to remain an enigma. For some that may work. For me, considering the current political moment we are in, in this specific time, in this specific place, I find that something of a cop out.

And I readily acknowledge all of this is fixable and may be fixed for the Broadway outing.

[TBFL]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 9:56pm

Why would a production that was so successful in London, breaking BO records and has the tied record for the musical with the most Olivier Award wins, change anything when it transfers to Broadway.

If you hated it so much, why go back?

 

Updated On: 4/1/24 at 09:56 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 11:44pm

While I gather my thoughts from tonight (and I have a lot of them), I will just say that if you’re seeing this you absolutely will want to get there early. Not just to see what’s going on inside (and there’s a little bit, nothing amazing) but it takes forever to be let in and even longer if you want a drink at the bar. Only 4 people in front of us and it still took almost 15 minutes for them to get their drinks - i can’t imagine many people behind us got served by the time they had to get to their seats. These are things that I’m sure will smooth themselves out in time but for right now if you’re going soon be sure to give yourself plenty of time. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/1/24 at 11:48pm

Official website lists a 2:45 runtime, including intermission - but not including the pre-show entertainment. 

[Alex M]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 12:06am

Still collecting my thoughts but give Gayle Rankin the Tony now.

[AP1979]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 12:33am

Attended the first preview tonight. After going to see it in London twice this is my third time seeing this latest revival. My only real feedback is that I don’t get any stage presence from Gayle Rankin, at all. That being said,it was preview one so hopefully she will find her footing and make the role her own. Personally I feel Eddie & Bebe steal the show. Make sure to bring your photo id to get a stamp for free shot before entering the theater. Also, the theater was very warm…wear layers lol.  

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 2:35am

Lol.

Post 84: Give Rankin the Tony

Post 85: Rankin has no stage presence!

 

Not disparaging either opinion, I don't see the show until next week, just commenting on the duality 

Updated On: 4/2/24 at 02:35 AM

[bear88]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 3:23am

I am just relieved to have reached the point that the comments are about the actual Broadway musical.

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 6:01am

I second that emotion.  November for me.  If Eddie leaves in August or September, I'll live.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 7:49am

Have they re-raked the existing orchestra section? I'm sitting in Row E, which is the 2nd row of 'real' seats behind the tables and wondering if heads are going to be an issue.

[TBFL]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 8:59am

Speaking of - how much work has been done to the theatre? In LDN they completely rebuilt the balcony section, because of the placement of the new stage. Yes it's now steeper than it was but the view is pretty good. much better than the old balcony. Thankfully the built the rows with very high backs, so you never got vertigo like youi would from a much more open, regular seat.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 9:08am

I was in the front of the mezz and it’s unchanged. The sightlines st the Wilson are WAAY better than at the Playhouse. 
 

As far as the rest of the theater, there’s not a lot “transformed”. Where the merch table usually is, there’s now a small stage where the preshow dancers dance and the upstairs bar area has seating to make it look like more of a bar. You’d be surprised what some green neon lighting can do to transform a space. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 9:29am

Does it feel/look like 65 million or whatever that crazy number is/was. 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 9:32am

If anyone purchased a seat in Mezz 4 and seeing the show soon, please report on the views.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 9:36am

RippedMan said: "Does it feel/look like 65 million or whatever that crazy number is/was."

I believe it’s 40 million. And I can’t answer that. I don’t know what the transformative costs are for something like this. 

[kwoc91]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 10:03am

FANtomFollies said: "Have they re-raked the existing orchestra section? I'm sitting in Row E, which isthe 2nd row of 'real' seats behind the tables and wondering if heads are going to be an issue."

I'm sitting in row E as well and I'm wondering if we had the same thought process! I wanted to be as close as possible, but wasn't interested in the glorified Lunchables snacks and drinks, and was concerned row D would be blocked by the table seats.

[aliciag3]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 11:28am

I was at the first preview last night and sat in the West Mezz/Mezz 4. We were in the last row E two seats off the end and I would sit there again in a heartbeat! It felt closer to the stage than the regular mezz and possibly better raked in that I didn't feel like we had to shift between or above heads to see (and we had leg room). And we really did feel close to the stage! Yes there are times that are slightly more "staged" to the other side, but I felt they did a good job of staging in the round and I did not feel like my experience was diminished (tho I do not have a comparison point). 

[pair-o-dice]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 11:40am

Walked all over the space last night - THERE IS NOT A BAD SEAT IN THE PLACE.  Front, back, floor, mezz...all good. Everyone can stop asking :)

Also, wow.  It really is great.  The whole cast is just incredible.  

Observation, and no idea why, for some reason act one seemed really long and act two seemed really short. But minor quibble, because from start to finish its excellent.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 12:18pm

kwoc91 said: "FANtomFollies said: "Have they re-raked the existing orchestra section? I'm sitting in Row E, which isthe 2nd row of 'real' seats behind the tables and wondering if heads are going to be an issue."

I'm sitting in row E as well and I'm wondering if we had the same thought process! I wanted to be as close as possible, but wasn't interested in the glorified Lunchables snacks and drinks, and was concerned row D would be blocked by the table seats."

Yes, 100% what was going on in my head! I also don't love audience interaction so I was happy to have a few rows between me and the stage. For what it's worth - there was someone who saw last night's show on Reddit that said Row E is the first row of the Orchestra section with a step up, so you are slightly higher than anyone in front of you. Looks like we both made a great choice :)

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 4/2/24 at 12:44pm

pair-o-dice said: "Observation, and no idea why, for some reason act one seemed really long and act two seemed really short. But minor quibble, because from start to finish its excellent."

Act 1 is way longer than Act 2, but that's just the way the show is built. There are twice as many songs in Act 1!