Raul or Adam in Cabaret — Page 2

Heh, WickedOne, did he talk about mooning the audience? I felt short-changed -- he did it for all of one second!

I'll be the first to say that I liked Stamos in the role. Maybe it's because it was my first exposure to Cabaret and I didn't go in with certain expectations.

Just as John Cameron Mitchell IS Hedwig, but then we get to pick our favorites after him, I'm also saying Alan Cumming IS the emcee, but after him comes Raul. I enjoyed Matt McGrath next. It was interesting to note that as Hedwig, Matt gave the role a different turn-more introspective and simmering. He did the same with the emcee-Matt has this power to draw you in to the point you can't take your eyes off him. He's got a lovely singing voice also.

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My favorite will forever be Matt McGrath, but Raul's next. I thought Adam was incredible, but Raul was definitely better. The role was my first live performance from each of them. I knew who Adam was from Rent and was just bowled over and delighted from his evolution to the Emcee. I had absolutely no idea who Raul was back in '01, and I was sorta terrified of him for the first couple months. His intensity will do that to you. Going from the subtlety of Matt to Raul's in-your-face performance was quite an adjustment.

Adam was really great, I wasn't sure how he'd do with the role but really surprised me and was quite good.

BUT.

Raul IS the Emcee, in my mind. After seeing him, it was hard to go see anyone else in the role (which is part of the reason why Adam surprised me so). Raul managed to make the Emcee eerie without being alienating, his performance was filled with subtle nuances that just gave the character a whole life beyond the script and the stage. I had gone to Cabaret to see Raul, and I never once felt like I was watching Raul, but like I was watching the Emcee. He is (was) magnificent.

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