BWW Reviews: Cabaret at The Abbey - Party Until the Lights Go Out

Artful Events and Gen Y Productions partner to bring Orlando audiences Cabaret at The Abbey. Sitting comfortably in the venue of this space, Cabaret feels so intimate that it makes me wonder why it took so long for Cabaret to be mounted in this venue.

Cabaret is the familiar story of American author, Clifford Bradshaw's trip to Germany in order to gather inspiration for his next novel. Stumbling into the Kit Kat Klub on his first night in Berlin, Cliff becomes enamored with headliner Sally Bowles. Their entangled relationship becomes sensationalized and stylized in the cabaret nightclub acts. Along the way, Clifford meets Frauline Schneider, the head of the boarding house in which he stays, and her lover Herr Schultz, a jewish fruit vendor.

Kenny Howard directs Cabaret in the style of the re-worked 1993 version. The production includes all the iconic moments from that including costumes, and sets. While in most cases theatre should be original with each revival, this retelling courageously explores a more dilapidated Kit Kat Club that works as one giant metaphor for Germany in the early 1930's.

Blue Star as Sally Bowles delivers a strong performance of a weak woman. Blue Star's choice to show the ugliness of Sally is bold and lands well in the second act. Griffeth Whitehurst as the Emcee is as sexualized as Alan Cumming's Emcee in the Sam Mendes revival, but Whitehurst's Emcee feels more welcoming and quirky.

Rebecca Fisher gives the best performance of the evening as Frauline Schneider, the charmingly accepting woman who has survived for so long with so little. Other notable performances include a wonderful Natalie Doliner (Frauline Kost), and Alexander Mrazek (Ernst Ludwig).

Choreographed by Blue Star, Cabaret moves with fluidly on a small stage with an ensemble of Kit Kat Klub dancers that nail numbers like Don't Tell Mama and Mein Herr. Roy Brown's lighting and John DeHaas's orchestra elevate this experience and enhance the level of quality produced in The Abbey.

The Abbey is one of Orlando's most unique venues for entertainment. With a cocktail reception pre-show in the bar area, catered food and desserts, the space gives the show a much more authentic feel. When the house opens, the audience is welcomed into the Kit Kat Klub. This breakup is a bit of a mood killer of the organic feel for which the direction of the pre show was going. Opening the entire venue at once and starting the show with audience members still mingling at the bar would likely have enhanced the experience.

This production of Cabaret looks and feels like a wet painting with its colors running. With a lively cast, juxtaposed against the demise of Germany, this production carries a charm of partying until the lights go out. Just be sure to catch it before it does.

Cabaret runs through Febrary 8th. For tickets visit their website.

To post a comment, you must register and login.