Quantcast
Channel: broadway – Under the Gun Review
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 31

‘Cabaret,’ A Perfectly Marvelous Show

0
0

Though my knowledge of Broadway doesn’t exceed the popular shows running New York City, I know what I enjoy and why I like it. Since kindergarten, I’ve been blasting the exuberant soundtrack to Mamma Mia!, and in elementary school the friendship of Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked warmed my heart. Now, most recently, the infectious soundtrack of Cabaret filled my imagination. For me – and probably most people – my interest in Broadway shows begins with the music. I hear the soundtrack and fall in love, trying to fill in the story with each vivid song. When I finally made the trip to New York to watch the magic unfold before me, it came together even more marvelously then I could have imagined, and this is what happened when I finally saw Cabaret in January.

When I tripped upon my love of this musical, it was love at first listen. I have a thing for catchy, old-fashioned, and chilling music, and the setting of a cabaret show fulfills this soundtrack just the way I hoped. The classically and dauntingly orchestrated show tunes range from silly and fun in “Don’t Tell Mama” and “Two Ladies,” but at the same time become powerful and beautiful messages like in the well known “Money” and “Cabaret.” You don’t have to be a musical theatre nerd to want to sing out every song on the soundtrack; the unique and emotional way it tingles your ears leaves you breathless. The jazzy scenes of the cabaret show led by The Emcee are enchanting and magical, while the plotline of what life really is like in late 1930s Berlin pulls songs of bravery, fear, and anguish. It’s a moving journey with every single line and note.

I find myself using the word “magic” a lot when describing Cabaret, or musical theatre in general. When explaining Cabaret specifically, the idea is employed in the most flamboyant and heart-wrenching ways simultaneously. As a big fan of war history and literature, Cabaret paints a beautifully damaged picture of the steadily creeping Nazi reign in Germany. The cabaret show acts as a way of escaping the hatred and fear spreading across the country, where “life is beautiful,” but eventually comes to terms with its morbid fate: the final scene when the usually animated Emcee, who served as a hopeful spirit-lifter in the plotline, alludes to the crushing realities of life and death under the Nazi regime.

The parallels between the political truth of what is going on around the cabaret and what the main character Cliff is experiencing with the show’s star Sally Bowles is potently blunt, opening my eyes in the most creative and stunning way. The true magic of this show is Act One’s thrilling, boisterous, and sexual cabaret show paired with the romance of Cliff and Sally as they meet at Berlin’s never-ending party. Love, excitement, and mischief catapult, then abruptly crash in the reality of life in Act Two, where their relationship dramatically crumbles and their friends feel the wrath of Nazi supremacy. The roller coaster ride of this plot is why it is so special: it makes you feel. You are emotional throughout the entirety of the show, whether you are feeling amazed, heartbroken, laughing, or crying.

Regardless, a script is a script and is only spectacular if the actors make it so. I am lucky enough to say I was able to see Cabaret with two actors who have done exactly that. In her debut on Broadway, Emma Stone sets free the idea of her as just a comedic actress, but a dynamic and multi-talented star who is finally getting the recognition she deserves. Even though she thoroughly impressed me with her performance, I wasn’t there to see her in action. Alan Cumming, one of the most notorious Emcees, is what made the show so special for me. Since his interpretation of the Emcee in 1998, the role became a part of him that no theatre lover can ever forget, and I got to see his interpretation of the character for myself. Every moment of his presence conjured that magic, previously noted, onto the stage. His crude and giddy humor, blunt sarcasm, and omnipresent way of being led the production flawlessly as he dominated his Cabaret. No one does it like Alan Cumming can.

Now that I have experienced one of my favorite musicals of all time, I can honestly tell you that I am still suffering from severe post-Cabaret depression. I can’t even put a finger on what exactly made this show so important for me, but it was a performance I could never forget. The music, the actors, the pure enchantment of Cabaret filled my heart and tore it to shreds. I feel a little ache whenever I listen to the soundtrack on my phone or watch a video on YouTube, because I can’t help but reminisce on my perfectly marvelous time at the cabaret. Because there, life is beautiful.

Editorial written by Emma Guido

Cabaret is still running through March 29. Purchase tickets here.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 31

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images