Theater review: 'Cabaret' immerses audiences in tumultuous lives of characters
By Jennifer Ta
April 24, 2011 1:54 p.m.
“Cabaret”
The MET Theatre
Through May 22
The Kit Kat Klub offers everyone the chance to leave their troubles behind for the seedy world of “Cabaret.” Problem is, “Cabaret” itself isn’t problem-free but with characters knee-deep in their own emotional turmoil.
“Cabaret” is a musical revolving around Englishwoman Sally Bowles (played by Caitlin Ary) who works in Berlin’s provocative Kit Kat Klub. She meets and eventually falls in love with a struggling American writer Cliff Bradshaw (played by Rory Alexander). Interspersed between the pair’s courtship scenes are the Kit Kat Klub’s musical numbers and scenes showing the rise of the Nazi Party.
Audiences will find themselves immersed in the MET Theatre’s production of “Cabaret.” From the stage to the seating, the theater resembles the seedy nightclub, the Kit Kat Klub ““ waitresses even seat audiences by tables and serve drinks before the show.
Yet, it isn’t the staging that pulls the audience into “Cabaret.” The actors and actresses become their characters, making their stories real before the audience.
Highlights include scenes featuring Sally and Cliff together on stage, particularly at the beginning of their courtship. Ary and Alexander play well off each other, and their chemistry is palpable. As they perform the number “Perfectly Marvelous,” they show off just how sweet and playful they are together.
Ary plays the role of a charming adventurous woman with ease. She becomes even more impressive toward the musical’s end, however, when she gets a chance to showcase her dramatic skills. Her performance of “Cabaret” should be considered her strongest number. Meanwhile, Ary balances emotional acting well ““ portraying drunkenness, heart break, bitterness and anger simultaneously.
Other notable performances include the sad but endearing couple Fraulein Schneider (played by Veronica Scheyving) and Herr Schultz (Jeremy Ebenstein). Scheyving delivers a strong performance as the lonely landlady. She highlights her character’s vulnerability through her singing, making it hard to blame her for the critical decisions she makes by the musical’s end.
Ebenstein is wonderful as the Jewish Schultz. While his “Meeskite” number could have made his character dislikeable and irritating, he acts more boyish than a foolish drunk man. Ebenstein keeps his character so endearing, that by the end of the show audiences can’t help but wish Schultz understood the true nature of the Nazi Party and its impact on his life.
Finally, the Kit Kat Klub’s master of ceremonies (played by Renee Cohen) should be commended. Cohen fluctuates between playful and eerie with confidence. Though at times it becomes hard to understand the lyrics when she sings, because of her over emphasis on her German accent, Cohen makes up for it with her high-energy performance, which makes the cabaret show entertaining.
In the end, “Cabaret” delivers on its promise to make you forget your troubles in the world. But as the characters make you forget your own problems, you find yourself so invested in them that once the curtain falls, you can’t help but add their problems to your own.
