Will Young serves up a few surprises in Bradford during the UK tour of Cabaret
Giant letters fall and snow flakes chill naked cast members before the curtain drops on one of the bravest musical endings I’ve ever seen. Despite raunchy costumes and its all-singing-and-dancing title, there’s much more to Cabaret than pure titilation.
Set in pre-WW2 Germany, Cabaret follows the doomed dreams of two wannabe ex-pats, seeking to make it big. Arriving in Berlin from America, aspiring writer Cliff (Matt Rawle) puts his career on hold, distracted by the city’s party scene. At the Kit Kat Club, Cliff meets British singer/dancer Sally Bowles (Siobhan Dillon) who soon derails his life, providing the more youthful love story to parallel that of landlady, Fraulein Schneider (Lyn Paul), and her equally lonely tenant, Herr Schultz (Linal Haft).
Peering through a spotlit-framed peephole, Young holds the story together as Emcee, acting as a sinister one man equivalent of a Greek chorus. His playful introduction lulls the audience into a false sense of security, misleadingly suggesting the show is merely a series of cheeky set pieces and meaningless tunes.
During the show’s two hour running-time there are recognisable numbers in “Maybe This Time”, “The Money Song” and of course the titular “Cabaret”, but the show’s strength lies less in the music and more in its subtext. Few songs stand-out in either lyrics or tune but Rufus Norris’ striking direction makes for a filling visual feast that prompted a much-deserved standing ovation and provoked weighty discussions long after lights up.
Katrina Lindsay’s versatile set, utilises scaffolding and multiple bed frames to complement an opening number full of stockings and bodices “wilkomming” us to Berlin’s seedy nightlife. Wearing little more than tiny black leather hot pants, Young makes for a slightly sinister Master of Ceremonies, giving a lively pitch-perfect performance that is enormous fun to watch while cleverly hinting at the show’s dark subject-matter.
In addition, choreography by Javier De Frutos enhances the show’s light-hearted smokescreen. Tucked into an elevated bed with showgirls, Frenchie and Helga, Young acts as centrepiece for one of Cabaret‘s most entertaining routines, prompting auditorium-wide laughs. Later wearing a suit stuffed with balloons, Young grotesquely plays his part, drawing on the mystery and absurdity of his character.
Although Young is undoubtedly the star of the show, linking together a string of mediocre songs, aside from a few dodgy accents, he’s ably supported by an equally energetic cast who look like they’re having the time of their life until the mood dramatically shifts in the second half after the rise of Hitler.
On the surface, Cabaret may appear to be little more than a celebration of everything that is hedonistic and shallow but Norris’ salient direction forces audiences to dissect Germany’s situation during WW2, poignantly highlighting just how clueless much of the country’s population were of their Führer’s sinister plans. Be shocked and impressed.
Cabaret shows at The Alhambra from September 23-28 before continuing its tour.