The folks up at Reprise have another winner. Their new production of Cabaret is sensational. Carolyn and I went to opening night and liked it more than the Broadway version we saw a few years ago — the one with Alan Cumming. And we liked the version we saw with Alan Cumming. We just liked this one more.
Why? I think the actors got more into the dramatic flow of the book…and also the musical numbers felt a little less "Broadway" and therefore the whole show seemed more realistic and relevant. I came out of the New York production happily humming the score. I came out of this one feeling the chill as the Nazi menace began to take over Berlin. The latter, of course, is what the show is about.
I want to list the names of the main five actors in the hope that they'll Google their names, find this page and read my rave review of their fine production. Jeff McLean played the author, Clifford Bradshaw. Mary Gordon Murray played Fräulein Schneider. Robert Picardo played Herr Schultz. Lisa O'Hare played Sally Bowles. And Bryce Ryness played the man that the script and the program book describe as "The Emcee, Our Master of Ceremonies." That he is. Mr. Bryness especially stands out as he somehow manages to be engagingly entertaining, given the perverse iciness of his character.
These folks and the rest of the superb ensemble will be Cabareting up at UCLA's Freud Playhouse through September 25. Your attendance is highly recommended.