‘Cabaret’ Review: Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin Lead High-Style Revival That Cuts to the Bone (2024)

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‘Cabaret’ Review: Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin Lead High-Style Revival That Cuts to the Bone? ›

It's a fiercely committed performance, but a mannered one, too. For the Emcee to exist as a creature apart makes narrative sense, but Redmayne's remoteness drains some of the force from what is otherwise a grounded, gut-punching take on a disturbingly timely story.

The music is at once catchy, fun, haunting and subversive. The script is smart, subtle and moving. The characters are iconic (even non-theater nerds have likely heard the name Sally Bowles). Fans of Cabaret perhaps think of the Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli version.

Adam Lambert and Auli'i Cravalho will take over the lead roles in Cabaret this fall from Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin. The two will begin performances, as the Emcee and Sally Bowles, respectively, at the August Wilson Theatre starting Sept. 16 for a run through March 30, 2025.

Broadway critics have not been as overwhelmingly positive as London's – and Redmayne's divisive portrayal of the iconic Emcee character is taking centre stage in the debate. When thinking of Cabaret, Liza Minnelli's glamorous, vocally masterful turn as Sally Bowles in the 1972 film might spring to mind.

How long will the show be? The running time of CABARET AT THE KIT KAT CLUB is approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, including one 15 minute intermission. What cast will be in the show?

But, of course, the West End where Cabaret is playing in a reconfigured Playhouse Theatre is a commercial enterprise. Theatre tickets are commodities and will be sold at the rate the market will bear. In an affluent city like London that means that prices are driven upwards.

Cabaret tells us to shove our escapist fantasies and be aware of our lives in three ways. First, there's the action of the plot— Cliff embraces escapism and happily ignore reality until he realizes he's been unwittingly serving the Nazi party to support his comfortable life with Sally in Berlin.

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the West End have announced new casting. From the 23rd September 2024, Olivier nominee Adam Gillen will play The Emcee and Golden Globe nominee Katherine Langford will play Sally Bowles.

Master of Ceremonies (Emcee)

Host at the Kit Kat Club-- a gender-nonconforming-presenting, exuberant figure; comfortable with being close to the audience; dark, comedic, sinister, vulgar… yet lovable; requires a strong presence that is playful and mysterious.

In the final scene, the Emcee removes his outer clothes to reveal a striped uniform of the type worn by the internees in concentration camps; on it are pinned a yellow badge (identifying Jews), a red star (marking Communists and socialists), and a pink triangle (denoting hom*osexuals).

How long will Eddie Redmayne be in Cabaret on Broadway? ›

Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin star in the Broadway revival of Kander and Ebb's classic musical. Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin will their final performances on September 14, 2024.

Cliff and Bobby kiss. Emcee calls Cabaret girls hot. Sally tells Cliff she can't invite him upstairs because she lives with Max (the guy she is sleeping with). Sally says that drinking out of Cliff's toothbrush mug makes her feel sensual.

Cabaret has an audience approval rating of 87% on Show-Score, putting it in the review aggregator's “Excellent” category.

But no musical tragedy since has had the same amount of truly entertaining comedy that can be found throughout Cabaret . Unfortunately, writers who imitate its bleakness forget that it's the laughter and glitzy showmanship that make such a message palatable to an audience.

Welcome to the Kit Kat Club. Home to the smash-hit production of CABARET that Entertainment Weekly hails as “an unforgettable and jaw-dropping experience” and New York Magazine declares “a glitzy, entertaining and ingenious revival that goes all out.” Experience this groundbreaking musical like never before.

The Telegraph's five-star review of Cabaret says: “Every element of Frecknall's production is a wow: the sumptuous pre-show entertainment, Tom Scutt's detailed design, Julia Cheng's sinuous choreography, Isabella Byrd's exquisite lighting, and the vital live band.” This isn't just seeing a show – it's an exceptional ...

Cabaret encourages audiences to arrive at least an hour prior to curtain to enjoy the prologue, which features musicians and dancers performing throughout the Kit Kat Club. No photography is allowed during the prologue (or the show, of course), and ushers place stickers over every audience member's phone camera.

Cabarets are halfway between a concert and a musical. Performers will be singing, acting and sometimes dancing onstage. But the show will also have a casual atmosphere. You are welcome to chat with your friends, or get up and order a themed drink.

For this version of “Cabaret,” playgoers are encouraged to arrive long before the opening number to visit the Kit Kat Club. There, they can have a drink and walk through a series of spaces, where they will observe performers dancing and playing music that is sensual, captivating and intended to loosen everyone up.