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Thanks to Janet for these superb reviews.

WIMBLEDON


Telegraph

Cabaret, at New Wimbledon Theatre
Rufus Norris's touring production of Cabaret, first seen in the West End last year, is right up there with the Liza Minnelli film version, says Charles Spencer.
4 out of 5 stars
Revelatory : Will Young reprises his role as the Emcee in 'Cabaret'

By Charles Spencer

12:01AM BST 30 Aug 2013

Comments1 Comment

I have heard whispers that Rufus Norris could be a strong contender to replace Nicholas Hytner as director of the National Theatre, and his superb recent production of The Amen Corner in the Olivier won’t have done his cause any harm at all.

Those looking for further evidence of his talent should beat a path to his production of Cabaret, which opened in the West End last year and seems even stronger in this touring version that has been substantially recast.

For those of us who saw the film at an impressionable age, memories of Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles and Joel Grey as the Emcee will always burn brightly. And perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay this staging is that on this occasion I didn’t miss them at all.

Will Young, who won Pop Idol and in the decade since then has clocked up sales of more than nine million records, gives a superb high-definition performance as the Emcee, in which camp wit and a louche sexuality (he sports a most unsettling pair of tight leather shorts) gradually gives way to something much darker.

His face is mask-like, and in an astonishing sequence it is he who sings the beautiful and deeply unsettling Tomorrow Belongs to Me, standing on a platform like a demented puppet-master with the Kit Kat Club performers dancing to his tune on strings. The dividing line between divine decadence and deep moral evil has rarely seemed so thin, and the Nazi menace becomes almost stifling in this production, not least in a brilliantly bold and chilling coup de theatre at the end.
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As well as Young’s revelatory performance, there is a superb turn from Siobhan Dillon as Sally Bowles, who also emerged from a TV talent show (she came third in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?). She has a real gift for slowly building a number from a heart-wrenchingly fragile start to surging vocal and emotional power at the end, and beautifully captures Sally Bowles’s mixed up vulnerability, both as a performer and as a woman.

You really believe this Sally is a confused little girl lost from London, which is not something you could say of Minnelli’s powerhouse turn. And the edge of desperation she brings to Maybe This Time sends shivers down the spine.

There are a host of strong supporting turns. Matt Rawle is delightfully sympathetic as the bisexual American writer who falls for Sally, while Linal Haft and Lyn Paul are deeply touching as the ageing lovers driven apart by Nazism. Look out too for Valerie Cutko, commanding and increasingly malign as the Berlin prostitute whose fortunes rise with Hitler’s.

Meanwhile the superb Kit Kat dancers decked out in black lingerie - and I’m not just referring to the girls - get maximum value from Javier de Frutos’s exceptionally fruity and inventive choreography, which deserves an X certificate when it come to the vertical expression of horizontal desires.

I dread to think what they will make of it when the show hits the old dears in Eastbourne.

At Wimbledon Theatre until Aug 31, then touring nationally until Nov 30; kenwright.com

SoSoGay

Review: Cabaret (New Wimbledon Theatre and UK Tour)

Posted by: James M in Stage 30 August 2013
Review: Cabaret (New Wimbledon Theatre and UK Tour)

Put down the knitting, the book and the broom, the tour of Cabaret kicks off fresh from a West End revival, with star Will Young in tow. We loved it. Lots.

Rating: *****

Venue: New Wimbledon Theatre.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including interval.

Director: Rufus Norris.

Overview: An unmissable revival that boasts incredibly creative and spellbinding choreography plus star turns from Will Young and Siobhan Dillon.

A painted doll-like Will Young is a revelation as the Emcee.



We somehow managed to miss Cabaret when it played at the Savoy Theatre at the end of last year, something which we kicked ourselves for mainly as we skipped the chance to see Will Young do his thing on stage. So, as soon as we heard a national tour was on the cards and the first boy of reality TV pop had signed up, we couldn’t race to Wimbledon quick enough.

Cabaret, as a musical, is something so incredibly special, as it goes from dementedly light and chaotic to brutally traumatic in just the space of a few hours. Its unexpected twists and turns make it a feast for not only the eyes but the mind too, as the tragic slaughter of the Jews during Hitler’s regime is played out in a lively, gloriously accepting and bustling Berlin.

We follow Clifford (Matt Rawle) as he arrives from America seeking excitement and a place to begin writing his new novel. He meets the troublesome and enigmatic Sally Bowles (Siobhan Dillon) at the Kit Kat Club and a blossoming romantic friendship begins. The action is moved along by ditties from the Emcee (Will Young) and his ensemble troupe of gorgeous dancers who plant us straight in the middle of this crumbling society.

This production is completely first class from start to finish. Set, costumes and lighting are all used so cleverly in such an ever-changing story that’s it’s difficult to conceive that this show only opened in this theatre yesterday. Seamless changes and ambitious choreography kept the pace and adrenalin levels high, leaving the audience on silent tenterhooks when the action took a dramatic turn. And speaking of Javier De Frutos’ choreography, it’s some of the most inventive and delicious we’ve ever seen. Full of rough sexual connotations and danced with such a seedy ferocity by the entire cast, it’s visually stunning. The huge company numbers are so courageously layered, it’s almost a wonder to take it all in at once, in particular the stylistic and acrobatic ‘Mein Herr’ and the completely inspired puppetry take on ‘Tomorrow Belongs To Me’.
Siobhan Dillon's subtle acting and beautiful vocals mark her out as a worthwhile star.

Siobhan Dillon’s subtle acting and beautiful vocals mark her out as a worthy star.

Will Young has heaps of fun as the mischievous and slightly deranged Emcee, drawing attention for all the right reasons whenever he appeared on stage. His mixture of dark comedy and more sombre moments were played with exactly the right amount of style, whilst his unusual and instantly recognisable voice lends itself perfectly to the Emcee’s eclectic numbers. The melancholy ‘I Don’t Care Much’ and the outrageous ‘The Money Song’ – complete with actual dribble – just show how Young can turn his hand to any thing and any style. It’s clear why he received an Olivier nomination for Best Actor.

Siobhan Dillon as the iconic Sally Bowles confused us throughout the show, mainly because we couldn’t make our minds up about her portrayal from the beginning. However, by the end, we had firmly decided that she was utterly brilliant in every way. Her subtle yet strong and emotive acting continued to grow throughout the show, leading to a show-stopping and heartbreaking take on the title song ‘Cabaret’ that left us covered in goosebumps. Dillon’s pure-sounding vocals soared through the auditorium, bringing a gorgeous tone to our ears. An understated triumphant performance. Linal Haft also gives an endearing and adorable turn as Herr Schultz, whilst Valerie Cutko oozes passionate glamour from every pore as Fräulein Kost.

The story of Jewish persecution in Nazi Germany is still incredibly difficult to understand and watch even eighty years on, and this production of Cabaret handles it in such a sensitive manner, while still managing to send shockwaves through the auditorium. The chilling finale is given the grace that it needs, yet doesn’t manage to send the audience into a complete emotional breakdown, shown by the almost immediate standing ovation as the curtain fell.

An unmissable production of one of the most underrated musicals of all time. Plus, you get to see Will Young’s bum. Don’t tell us that’s bringing the tone down – we know you want it.

Cabaret plays at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 31 August before embarking on a national tour ending in Peterborough on 7 December 2013.

Thanks to Anne.



http://www.westendframe.com/2013/08/rev ... Ktour.html

Cabaret (UK Tour)
New Wimbledon Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 29th August 2013


First performed on Broadway in 1966, Cabaret has become one of the most iconic pieces of musical theatre of all time. Last year the musical received a West End revival at the Savoy Theatre and now the production is once again embarking on a UK Tour. Cabaret is set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, the show focuses on nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around the 19-year-old English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her relationship with the young American writer Cliff Bradshaw.


Fresh from the West End, Will Young once again leads the cast as the Emcee. His performance remains utterly mesmerising and is not to be missed. Will simply understands the complexity of the character and is funny, warm and moving when required. He bounces off the audience well and demonstrates fantastic comic timing.

Siobhan Dillon has re-joined the cast as Sally Bowles, having previously played the role during the musical's 2009 UK tour. It is her performance which takes this touring production to a whole new level. Last year I saw Cabaret in the West End and for me the show was completely ruined by Michelle Ryan's half-hearted, sloppy performance. It was embarrassing to watch her throw away the show's most iconic musical numbers such as Maybe This Time, Mein Herr and Cabaret. She quite clearly found herself out of her depth, whereas Siobhan Dillon is clearly at home on-stage playing Sally Bowles. She has the most incredible stage presence, owning every single scene. Her rendition of Maybe This Time was a personal highlight, she didn't just effortlessly sing the song, she lived every single word and drew in the entire audience. Both the Emcee and Sally are fascinating roles which Will Young and Siobhan Dillon were clearly born to play.

Lyn Paul and Linal Haft also give strong performances as Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz. The musical's sub-plot follows the two elderly characters as they fall in love. However, the political situation in Berlin causes trouble for the pair, providing many heart-warming and heartbreaking moments. Matt Rawle also shines as Cliff Bradshaw, it was a shame that a few sound issues distracted from his intense performance during the show's final scenes.



Javier De Frutos' choreography is perfect. The ensemble (often dressed in minimal clothing) do not hold back one tiny bit and make quite an impression from the second they walk on-stage. The band are neatly tucked away at the back of the theatre, in fact I would love to have seen more of them.

There is no other musical as quirky as Cabaret. One minute it's very serious and the next the cast perform a comedy number from inside a bed - it really does explore human emotion and is very unpredictable. The snappy nature of the piece leaves no time for boredom. Sometimes sets can be scaled down for touring productions, but Katrina Lindsay's design looks just as grand on tour.

While there is plenty of fun to be had, Cabaret is also an extremely powerful piece of theatre which makes many strong political points. The show leaves you with plenty to think about, therefore it is no surprise that West End Frame readers voted Cabaret the 'Most Inspiring West End Show' last year as part of the 2012 West End Frame Awards. If this touring production is visiting a theatre near you there is no way you can miss it. Expect lots of nudity, arrive open minded and allow yourself to be taken on every step of the show's incredible journey.

Will Young in the touring production of Cabaret at the New WImbledon Theatre. Picture: Roy Tan
Cabaret was reviewed at the New Wimbledon Theatre, London before continuing on tour.

Never mind what those ‘Best Musicals of All Time’ polls say, John Kander and Fred Ebb’s hilarious, poignant and, yes, frankly shocking interpretation of Christopher Isherwood’s autobigraphical novel is one of the greatest ever written, some would say THE greatest, and now audiences around the country will have the chance to enjoy what many saw in the West End last autumn.

A 13-centre tour of this decadent tale of Weimar Berlin in the early 1930s kicked off in Wimbledon to a full standing ovation – and deservedly so.

Will Young has come a long way since looking totally out of place in Mrs Henderson Presents and The Vortex, and in the uber-camp Emcee role that the actor/singer was surely born to play, he is simply stupendous.

Anyone who says that the original Emcee Joel Grey set the bar so high that nobody could follow must think again: Gray was wonderful, Young is wonderful, better perhaps at the funny bits – the romp in a bed with various members of both sexes is terrific – and it is good to see him carrying on and carrying the show, from West End to Wolverhampton, where the tour winds up at the end of November.

Unlike the eight-time Oscar-winning movie in which a blond young vision of Germany’s Hitler Youth movement sings the scary ‘Tomorrow Belongs to Me’, the job of bringing Act I to a menacing end is left to Young in director Rufus Norris’ version and it is most effective.

Although we see a whole huddle of naked bodies in the mind-boggling climax to the production, the current Cabaret is toned down a tad from Norris’ 2006 version in which that fine actress Anna Maxwell Martin played Sally Bowles. Martin was just right because she played the role as an average singer, which is what Isherwood intended, working for buttons in a seedy Berlin nightclub.

Hollywood tossed all that aside in encouraging Liza Minnelli to give a top-of-the-range vocal performance, which of course won her an Oscar, but the film wasn’t what Kander and Ebb had in mind. For a start, in the movie there was no Herr Schultz (Linal Haft, perfectly both Jewish and German, even improving on his West End performance), nor the poignant love affair between his lovestruck old shopkeeper and the wistful landlady Fraulein Schneider which is the key second element to the relationship between bisexual Clifford Bradshaw (Matt Rawle still in the part, still excellent) and the OTT Sally.

Here Siobhan Dillon, a finalist in the BBC talent search How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? back in 2006, takes over from Michelle Ryan and is a distinct improvement on the former EastEnders actress. Not that Ryan was bad, but Dillon is more animated and outrageous. She can certainly sing up a storm, as she demonstrated in Grease, Legally Blonde and Ghost the Musical, but she cleverly manages to give the impression of a girl not good enough to go further than she has done, certainly not to cabaret stardom.

Valerie Cutko as Fraulein Kost, the sailors’ go-to lady-of-the-night when their ship comes in, almost steals the show. She acts it brilliantly and sings well. The programme says she has played the part in the West End, but this was the first time I had seen her taking it on, and she is a revelation.

Nicholas Tizzard solidly reprises the role of Ernst Ludwig, the Nazi sympathiser who wheedles his way into Bradshaw’s life and, when crossed, has him beaten up, but former New Seekers star Lyn Paul is a disappointing Fraulein Schneider, with an undercooked German accent and needing to up her game, which she hopefully can do as the run rolls on.

Paul makes nothing of ‘So What?’, that painfully moving song of longing and regret, and is as yet a fair way behind recent Schneiders in Sheila Hancock and Sian Phillips.

I loved this Cabaret under Javier De Frutos’ inspired choreography when I saw it in London last year and, if anything, I like it even more now. Like West Side Story, it is a timeless and relevant reminder of the racial hatred which starts wars whether they be gangland battles in Manhattan or global conflicts like the Second World War.

http://musicaltheatrereview.com/cabaret-wi...g/#.UiCIzcu9KSM

I'm seeing West Side Story too at the beginning of October at my local theatre.


Back stage pass

Cabaret has always been an odd one for me, as I have never seen it on stage or screen, yet I know all the songs from the show instantly!

If, like me, you haven't a clue what this show is about, let me enlighten you - As the Nazis begin their rise to power in Germany in the late 1920s, American writer Clifford Bradshaw visits Berlin. After making a few friends and finding housing, Clifford visits the sleazy Kit Kat Club and meets an English singer, Sally Bowles. The writer and singer soon fall in love. Meanwhile, Clifford's elderly landlord, Fraulein Schneider, gets engaged to a Jewish greengrocer, Herr Schultz – not an easy decision given the increasing influence of the Nazis. Soon, Clifford discovers that he has been inadvertently helping the Nazis by delivering packages to Paris for a German friend of his, Ernst Ludwig. Clifford ends up deciding to return to the United States but Sally, after aborting their baby, decides to remain in Berlin.









Will Young as Emcee
Photo by Keith Pattison

So that's the gist of it, throw in some fantastic songs, powerful performances and you have the recipe for success, and this production holds no bounds. All of the ensemble are very strong and have great voices that go with the slick arrangements. the choreography from Javier de Frutos is very good indeed, especially in the way that staircases are involved!

Siobhan Dillon gives a mesmerising performance as Sally Bowles throughout, and with a spine-tingling rendition of 'Maybe This Time', Siobhan shows control of her vocals magnificently. Lyn Paul and Linal Haft as Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz respectively, also give fine performances, especially with the appearance of the pineapple in 'It Couldn't Please Me More'.

Star of the show though is Will Young as Emcee, delightfully charming and funny, he has good rapport with the audience and his comic timing is spot on - watch his face in 'Two Ladies' and you will see what I mean - a crowd pleaser if ever there was one.

Top all this off with a great touring set, a tight band, lovely lighting and sound and you have a winning formula on stage.
Life is a Cabaret old chum... and it certainly is worth going to this Cabaret if you want to see a fabulous musical on stage.

Five stars ✭✭✭✭✭

http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Theatre-Re ... tre-review

Although Cliff and Sally are ostensibly the principal characters, the MC of the club is really the dominant character and he is played by Will Young (an erstwhile pop singer) in a performance that can only be describe as incredible. He oozes decadence and disgust, selling his numbers with winks and leers that in any other performer would be described as camp but in Mr Young’s hands they are evil and menacing.

As the evening progresses his mask begins to drop and a more human aspect takes over, equally unpleasant but convincing until at the end he joins his compatriots from the club in the gas chamber with a gesture of togetherness that is deeply moving.

This is the most striking and shattering performance of the part I have seen, not discounting Joel Grey and Wayne Sleep both of who were pretty awesome. Mr Young, however, surpasses both of them in his performance and carries the show like a seasoned trouper and I doubt whether we shall ever see the part played as well again

BestDaily Reviews: Cabaret

Friday, Aug 30 2013 WRITTEN BY Hannah Summersfield



Will Young proves he belongs on the stage in this decadent musical

caberet

© Target Live
After huge success in the West End the cast of Cabaret has set out on a tour of the UK.

The musical is set in pre-war Berlin and follows American novelist Clifford Bradshaw as he arrives in the city and is instantly thrust into the party lifestyle. Cliff meets a number of exciting characters including cabaret performer Sally Bowles and the mysterious Ernst Ludwig.

Former talent show contestant Will Young has wonderful stage presence as Emcee, evoking plenty of laughter from the audience with his portrayal of the KitKat club's cheeky master of ceremonies.

The star showed just why he has been such a successful solo artist as his voice was incredible. Will hit a range of notes and at times there was even a choral tone to his voice. Truly an artist who must be seen live.



caberet

© Target Live


Will Young as the hilarious Emcee.

The stand out performance of the night came from Siobhan Dillon who plays Sally Bowles. She gave us goose bumps when she sang 'Maybe This Time' and perfectly captured the whimsical Sally.

All the cast must be commended for their strong performances. They looked like they were having a brilliant time and, despite their highly physical dance routines, their voices never faltered. At times it was almost as if a separate choir were singing back stage.

The costumes were fabulous as the cast sparkled in sequinned corsets and tight leather hot pants. And the fun on stage spilled over into the audience as everyone left the theatre with smiles on their faces

.

by Admin on Friday, 30 August, 2013 in Onstage, Review


Will Young in the touring production of Cabaret at the New WImbledon Theatre. Picture: Roy Tan
Cabaret was reviewed at the New Wimbledon Theatre, London before continuing on tour.

Never mind what those ‘Best Musicals of All Time’ polls say, John Kander and Fred Ebb’s hilarious, poignant and, yes, frankly shocking interpretation of Christopher Isherwood’s autobigraphical novel is one of the greatest ever written, some would say THE greatest, and now audiences around the country will have the chance to enjoy what many saw in the West End last autumn.

A 13-centre tour of this decadent tale of Weimar Berlin in the early 1930s kicked off in Wimbledon to a full standing ovation – and deservedly so.

Will Young has come a long way since looking totally out of place in Mrs Henderson Presents and The Vortex, and in the uber-camp Emcee role that the actor/singer was surely born to play, he is simply stupendous.

Anyone who says that the original Emcee Joel Grey set the bar so high that nobody could follow must think again: Gray was wonderful, Young is wonderful, better perhaps at the funny bits – the romp in a bed with various members of both sexes is terrific – and it is good to see him carrying on and carrying the show, from West End to Wolverhampton, where the tour winds up at the end of November.

Unlike the eight-time Oscar-winning movie in which a blond young vision of Germany’s Hitler Youth movement sings the scary ‘Tomorrow Belongs to Me’, the job of bringing Act I to a menacing end is left to Young in director Rufus Norris’ version and it is most effective.

Although we see a whole huddle of naked bodies in the mind-boggling climax to the production, the current Cabaret is toned down a tad from Norris’ 2006 version in which that fine actress Anna Maxwell Martin played Sally Bowles. Martin was just right because she played the role as an average singer, which is what Isherwood intended, working for buttons in a seedy Berlin nightclub.

Hollywood tossed all that aside in encouraging Liza Minnelli to give a top-of-the-range vocal performance, which of course won her an Oscar, but the film wasn’t what Kander and Ebb had in mind. For a start, in the movie there was no Herr Schultz (Linal Haft, perfectly both Jewish and German, even improving on his West End performance), nor the poignant love affair between his lovestruck old shopkeeper and the wistful landlady Fraulein Schneider which is the key second element to the relationship between bisexual Clifford Bradshaw (Matt Rawle still in the part, still excellent) and the OTT Sally.

Here Siobhan Dillon, a finalist in the BBC talent search How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? back in 2006, takes over from Michelle Ryan and is a distinct improvement on the former EastEnders actress. Not that Ryan was bad, but Dillon is more animated and outrageous. She can certainly sing up a storm, as she demonstrated in Grease, Legally Blonde and Ghost the Musical, but she cleverly manages to give the impression of a girl not good enough to go further than she has done, certainly not to cabaret stardom.

Valerie Cutko as Fraulein Kost, the sailors’ go-to lady-of-the-night when their ship comes in, almost steals the show. She acts it brilliantly and sings well. The programme says she has played the part in the West End, but this was the first time I had seen her taking it on, and she is a revelation.

Nicholas Tizzard solidly reprises the role of Ernst Ludwig, the Nazi sympathiser who wheedles his way into Bradshaw’s life and, when crossed, has him beaten up, but former New Seekers star Lyn Paul is a disappointing Fraulein Schneider, with an undercooked German accent and needing to up her game, which she hopefully can do as the run rolls on.

Paul makes nothing of ‘So What?’, that painfully moving song of longing and regret, and is as yet a fair way behind recent Schneiders in Sheila Hancock and Sian Phillips.

I loved this Cabaret under Javier De Frutos’ inspired choreography when I saw it in London last year and, if anything, I like it even more now. Like West Side Story, it is a timeless and relevant reminder of the racial hatred which starts wars whether they be gangland battles in Manhattan or global conflicts like the Second World War.

Jeremy Chapman

The tour of Cabaret continues:
September: Liverpool Empire (2–7), Manchester Opera House (9–14), Bristol Hippodrome (17–21), Bradford Alhambra (23–28)
October: Congress Theatre, Eastbourne (1–5), Blackpool Winter Gardens (15–19), King’s Theatre, Edinburgh (21–26), Gaiety Theatre, Dublin (29–Nov 2)
November: New Theatre, Oxford (5–9), Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall (12–16), New Theatre, Hull (18–23), Wolverhampton Grand (26–30)

http://www.kenwright.com

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This post has been edited by truly talented: 3rd September 2013, 06:11 PM