Review: CABARET 'Willkommens' You To the Kit Kat Club at Kensington Town Hall

"Life's a cabaret, old chum!" Oh it certainly is, Sally Bowles.

Kensington Arts Theatre (KAT) brings the Kit Kat Club to life in its dark and steamy production Cabaret. Cabaret follows Cliff Bradshaw (Matt Trollinger), an American writer, as he tries to find inspiration for his novel in pre-Nazi Berlin. The Emcee (Johnathan M. Rizzardi) acts as our guide as Bradshaw meets British cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Sarah Jane Bookter), smuggler Ernst Ludwig (Garrett Zink), landlady Fraulein Schneider (Liz Weber), and fruit vendor Herr Schultz (Chuck Dluhy). KAT's immersive production pairs a strong cast with memorable musical numbers.

KAT's strong cast is headed by Rizzardi as Emcee. Rizzardi commands the stage as the 'master of ceremonies.' There is never a dull moment with Rizzardi's performance of Emcee. His interactions with the audience are uproariously comical. Rizzardi is not only able to bring about comic relief in an otherwise serious production, but he also channels sorrow and angst with such force that one feels it rush to you from across the stage. In one particularly powerful scene, Emcee watches a young version of himself sing "Tomorrow Belongs to Me." This is one of the many cases in which Rizzardi reveals the dynamism of Emcee. Besides Rizzarid's stupendous acting performance, his voice range is superb. Rizzardi's most memorable songs include "Money" in which he coons about the wonders of money and "I Don't Care Too Much," a sorrowful ballad. While Emcee's character is certainly the crux of the musical, it won't be Carbaret without the two main characters, Sally Bowles and Cliff Bradshaw. Sarah Jane Bookter channels her inner Liza Minnelli as the sassy Sally Bowles. Bookter's voice shines in the songs, "Mein Herr," "Maybe This Time," and "Cabaret." Matt Trollinger stands out as American Cliff Bradshaw. Trollinger plays Cliff with a different intensity from the way Michael York played Cliff's counterpart Brian in the 1972 Cabaret film, but this is a good move. Trollinger's Cliff is more of a voice of reason for Bookter's Sally, who is in denial about the changes lurking in The Shadows of Berlin.

Speaking of the 1972 Cabaret film, Kensington Art Theatre's production of Cabaret brings to light two supporting characters who weren't featured in the film: Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz. These delightfully lovable characters are part of a heart-wrenching (almost, but not quite) Romeo and Juliet subplot. Liz Weber, who plays Fraulein Schneider, and Chuck Dluhy, who plays Herr Schultz, are a match made in musical heaven. Their beautiful chemistry is highlighted in the songs, "It Couldn't Bring Me More" and "Married." Weber delivers a powerful solo, "What Would You Do?" with great energy and raw emotion.

Kensington Arts Theatre's production of Cabaret balances the dark subject matter with the whimsicalness and indulgences of the Kit Kat Club. Besides the catchy musical numbers and remarkable acting, KAT's production brings the Kit Kat Club closer than ever before. In front of the stage, there are circular tables adorned with glowing candles that give the atmosphere a nightclub ambience. At one point in the show after intermission, the Kit Kat Club boys and girls walk around and interact with the audience. The audience interaction and ambience make KAT's Cabaret stand out.

Kensington Arts Theatre's production of Cabaret is worth the visit to the Kit Kat Club - maybe even multiple visits.

Running Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.

Kensington Art Theatre's CABARET plays at the Kensington Town Hall / Armory through November 19, 2016. Tickets can be purchased online.

Pictured: The cast of KAT's Cabaret. Photo by Mark McLaughlin.

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