Michelle Williams Extends in CABARET- Page 2

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:16am

Williams could have been an extraordinary Sally. She has everything required and has the stage chops to pull it off. Unfortunately, for whatever reason - Mendes not giving her what she needed? her not understanding the role? maybe she is trying to hard too prove she can handle the role musically (she more than can!)? - her Sally is all eccentricity and narcissism with no likability or vulnerability.... qualities she, of all actresses of her generation, has in spades.





Updated On: 7/22/14 at 09:16 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 9:25am

^ I disagree, I thought she was perfectly likeable. Did you see her recently or early in the run? Several people have said she's better now.

[smallvillefan16]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 11:35am

Will we ever get videos of her performance?

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 11:53am

her Sally is all eccentricity and narcissism with no likability or vulnerability....

I couldn’t disagree more with this statement. I saw her performance in June and have been raving about it to friends and family ever since – saying the exact opposite sentiments than yours. I think the role of Sally can easily fall into the, to put it in modern terms, “manic pixie dream girl” type and thought that Williams came nowhere close to this because of how vulnerable she was. It felt, to me, as if all of her quirks and jokes came out of a place of desperation; needing the people around her (specifically, Cliff, for much of the show) to like her because she is so dependent on them/him. I found that, at times, the audience wasn’t laughing at Sally’s one-liners; but, it wasn’t because of a bad delivery from Williams – rather, it was more that we could see the underlying desperation and vulnerability coming through and just how much weight she was putting on Cliff liking her. But, it seems clear to me that she tries her damndest to never let anyone around her realized her vulnerability and it’s something that she only lets take over her in her performances of “Maybe This Time” and “Cabaret.”

Her extreme vulnerability, in turn, made me immediately care about her and root for her; her stakes were high throughout the entire show and you could see an underlying subtext in everything she did and said. I really thought she gave an incredible performance.

I hope this isn’t the last we see of her on Broadway!

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 3:54pm

Always happy to be disagreed with. I saw the show about a month ago.

[SweeneyLovett]

Posted: 7/22/14 at 6:28pm

I never knew Sally could be so funny until Michelle came along. Her delivery of certain lines was terrific, but she also broke my heart. I loved how she took the subject of her abortion so lightly at first as if it was the most normal thing to do. I didn't expect such humor from her interpretation. Still, underneath the humor, there was such desperation and longing.

She was pathetic, heartbreaking, funny, and chilling when she needed to be. I quite liked her.

[hotjohn]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 6:22pm

And, I'm not sure anyone has mentioned here, her English accent was quite impeccable!

[Jane2]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 6:51pm

henrikegerman, you described exactly how I felt about Williams as Sally.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 7:41pm

Williams' performance has certainly divided the boards here (I thought she was breathtaking), but encouraged great discussion on the character and show in general. This is why I come to this site. Keep up the good work everybody

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 7/23/14 at 7:42pm

I'm really happy to hear this. I'm going to do my best to try to see her.

[South Florida]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 6:27pm

"And, I'm not sure anyone has mentioned here, her English accent was quite impeccable!"

I disagree, her accent was the worst part of my Broadway week. I have English relatives. If you're going to have an English Sally or an American Sally or Bradshaw, etc... let them perform with their own accents.

[kadu335]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 7:58pm

Bummer! Her LAST performance is the day before I arrive in NYC...