Original Cabaret ending?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/22/10 at 10:21pm

How did the original production of Cabaret stage the ending? I've only seen the film and Mendes version (both of which I love for different reasons). Did the earlier revivals use the same ending or did they have their own endings as well?

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/22/10 at 10:23pm

Cliff leaves the stage on the train. The Emcee comes on again, and the band plays, but this time, the stage lights come all the way up and we see how dingy and tattered they really are. The Emcee leaves. Blackout.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 7/22/10 at 10:45pm

The beginning of the last scene is the same - Cliff is on the train, he starts to sing a bit of Willkommen and the Emcee joins in as the train disappears. Emcee does his "life is beautiful" speech, then the company enters in their costumes from the beginning, but this time with swastika arm-bands. Schultz, Schneider and Sally step forward and repeat some of their lines from ealier (ie Schultz: I know I am right because I understand the Germans. After all, what I am? A German). Sallt sings a bit of "Cabaret" and they all exit except for the Emcee. He sings "Auf widersehn, a bientot," bows, and vanishes leaving the stage empty except for the mirror and the glowing Cabaret sign.