‘Cabaret’ still a gripping view of Berlin on the eve of Nazi takeover
Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall’s vision of “Cabaret” remains as devastating as it was when the gritty, stripped-down revival debuted 20 years ago.
The version at the Kravis Center through Sunday tells an engrossing story, breathes life into some hit numbers and exits with a chilling reminder of the Nazi horror that’s likely to linger in memories for some time.
The story is told from the point of view of Clifford Bradshaw (Carl Pariso), a young American writer visiting Berlin in 1929 for the first time. He gets caught up in the party-time life of Sally Bowles (Bailey McCall Thomas), the British star of the Kit Kat Klub, where the Emcee (Erik Schneider) presides over its lascivious entertainment. Cliff ’s fascination gradually gives way to repulsion as he witnesses the Nazis’ insidious takeover of Germany.
Solid groundwork is laid by John Kander’s music, Fred Ebb’s lyrics and Joe Masteroff ’s book. But Mendes and Marshall invigorated the IF YOU GO
What: “Cabaret” When: Through Sunday Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
For information: Call 561-832-7469 or visit kravis.org. show by making it raunchier, scarier and more immersive. Director B. T. McNicholl adheres to their interpretation.
The narrative scenes play out on the lower level of a bare-bones two-tier set. The second tier holds the orchestra, made up largely of the Kit Kat Klub players doubling as instrumentalists. The upper story also serves as a perch from which the Emcee spies on the action below.
The players’ engagement with the audience creates an immediate connection.
Thomas’ compelling Bowles is the electricity charging this production. She’s extraordinarily human even when she’s at her oblivious and cheeky worst. Her wistful “Maybe This Time” and shattered delivery of the title tune move the songs from the realm of the familiar into the real.
Unfortunately, Schneider doesn’t quite fill the Emcee’s big shoes. He’s sly and certainly depraved but not the riveting ringmaster the show demands.
Pariso’s assertive Cliff commands more respect than the near-cipher he often is. Audrey Federici as the pragmatic landlady Fraulein Schneider and Fred Frabotta as her idealistic Jewish suitor Herr Schultz deliver well-honed performances. Adriana Milbrath brings a tuneful voice and sleazy sizzle to the prostitute Fraulein Kost and the Kit Kat girl Fritzie.
Yes, the Emcee’s subpar performance weakens the show. But not enough to sap its enduring power.