Cabaret (2008)
Cabaret is a challenging musical for any school to undertake, with its confronting political and sexual themes, and its racy atmosphere of Weimar decadence, embedded so emphatically in the musical score, lyrics, choreography, plot and characterisation. It’s the full package, a show charged with energy and excitement compellingly capturing the zeitgeist that eventually led to the unleashing of the barbarous forces of Nazism. It’s also an acknowledged classic, regularly staged professionally, and the source of a famous film with a famous performance (by Liza Minelli). So it is ever to the credit of a splendid and dedicated cast that they were completely undaunted by the reputation and complexity of the material, and delivered performances that successively grew in stature and intensity over the five nights in Adamson Hall, from August 19th through to the 23rd. Packed audiences were awed by what they saw (and heard) during this otherwise bitterly cold week; if ever a cast put fire in our bellies, this one was it.
The great songs by John Kander and Fred Ebb, and the wonderful and moving dialogue of the book by Joe Masteroff, were handled with artistry and professionalism by both the old hands and emerging talents of St Kilda Rd’s Adamson Theatre Company. The production never for a single moment fell short of the exacting standards associated with the annual campus musical. Leading the way, in a stand-out performance, was Chiara Hunter as Sally Bowles. Her soaring vocal abilities, acting, movement and stage presence combined to deliver a breath-taking Sally; the reception for her final interpretation of the title song near the end filled the auditorium, and the excitement lingered to the final scene. And there were cheers for others in the cast who in their own ways matched Chiara’s extraordinary performance, and were never in her shadow. The whole production was fortunate in the contribution of newcomer Joel Skurrie as the Emcee; the credibility of the Cabaret setting depends on his impact, and Joel was superb, combining an after-midnight voice with some compelling mime in both facial and body movement. He gave the Emcee both warmth and menace in a beguiling mix. And as the sexually ambivalent Cliff Bradshaw, through whose memories the story unfolds, Maxwell Simon, in his fourth musical, had both the vocal maturity and emotional range to provide a comfortable link between audience and action. His was a truly engaging performance.
If the vibrancy of the show lies in the Cabaret sequences and songs, the deep humanity and pathos lie elsewhere, in the tender romance between the aging Fraulein Schneider and her beau, Herr Shultz, a Jewish fruit shop proprietor. They are the inevitable victims of the coming political storm, and their doomed relationship was given great beauty and poignancy by Lauren Midgley and Ryan Murphy. Both are splendid singers, and accomplished actors attuned to subtlety of characterization, and you could sense each night the empathy they aroused in the audience. Others to stand out were Annabelle Tudor as Fraulein Kost, full of haughty sexuality and bravado barely disguising a more menacing side, and Paddy Martinkus and Gustaf Sjodin Enstrom, who shared the part of Ernst, the friendly German with a sinister agenda. And the strength of the performances went right through into the minor roles. There was not a false note struck by this very even cast, either musically or dramatically.
The entire ensemble was fearless in its immersion in the material. They all took risks, and each one strengthened the power of the narrative. This was teamwork at its most inspiring. The dance group was a wonder. They performed Felicity Pearson’s astonishing choreography flawlessly, adding new levels of excitement to every production number. And each member of the chorus had their individual moments, as well as combining to produce some great choral highlights, such as the pulsating opening number, and the electrifying (and ultimately terrifying) finale to Act One. Margaret Arnold and George Kozlowski taught the songs, and their insistence on detail and accuracy was evident in each musical number. The back stage crew (managed by Caitlin Young and Tashi Dewhurst) ensured the show ran seamlessly, and the sound and lighting team (mentored by Sabino Del Balso, and with David Browne, Sam Whitney, Hugh Day and James Godfrey in key operating roles) again ensured the professional look and sound of the performance.
But what is a musical without music, and the large orchestra, under the baton of David Mowat, simply excelled. Unseen until their curtain call, they received a magnificent ovation. And the on-stage Cabaret band sounded and looked wonderful, and, backed by a marvelous quintet of singers, added much to the atmosphere of decadence. Felicity Pearson, co-directing and choreographing, instilled much of her now-legendary spirit and energy into every facet of the production. For the other long-serving members of the production team, Dawson Hann (Production and Direction), Tony Scanlon (Direction and Design), Sabino Del Balso (Lighting and Sound) and Stephanie Des Barres (Costumes), Cabaret was a deeply satisfying way to celebrate the 21st anniversary of their work together in the theatre.
Program
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