COME TO THE GLITTERY, GLAMEROURS “CABARET” NOW IN A RESTRUCTURED PRODUCTION AT THE OLD GLOBE

Cast and Emcee Kit Kat Klub

With anti-Semitism on the rise across the country and especially in  San Diego and particularly right in my neighborhood, any time is a good time to brush off the pages of the 1966 Kander and Ebb musical that, in its originality, subtly draws us in to 1931 Berlin on the eve of the Nazis’ rise to power. 

Here we find ourselves in the famous or infamous Kit Kat Klub where sitting alone in your room is no substitute for watching the Kit Kat Girls and Boys and dance, gyrate and ‘entertain. 

Deftly directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes this incarnation was imported from Asolo Repertory Theatre in  Sarasota, Florida. It is based on the play by John Van Druten with stories by Christopher Isherwood

Joanna A. Jones and Alan Chandler

(“There was a Cabaret and there was a master of ceremonies…and there was a city called Berlin in a  country called Germany…and I was dancing with Sally Bowles and we were both fast asleep…)

This reviewer has never seen a “Cabaret” as this one. I was blown away by the big glitzy art deco production numbers designed by  Tijana Bjelajac and told to us by Master of Ceremonies (originally Joel Grey) Lincoln Clauss who is one talented individual. That said, it took some time for the stories between Cliff and Sally, and  Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schmitt to come into focus. It seemed as if the production moved from one big production number to another with bits and pieces of story as side lines.

Most of us who have seen the show in the past, remember it as the story of the ever optimistic, oft times eccentric dancer in the Kit Kat Klub, Sally Bowles (Joanna A. Jones) and her off and on  roommate. American writer Cliff Bradshaw (Alan Chandler) who are forced to share a room in the over crowded rooming house belonging to Fräulein Schneider’s (Kelly Lester). because no one had any money.  Other occupants are a bit shadier, but in Berlin all that we see is not what is.

Joanna A. Jones

And as for Sally, who had her own past to deal with  is like a time bomb with her on and off love for Cliff  and thrives  on everything decadent in Germany. Then there is Cliff who sees what’s happening but is blindsided  laundering money for the Germans. Joanna J. Jones   has one of the smoothest and most velvet of voices (“Maybe This Time”),  

Most of the characters are steeped in an undercurrent of political adversity as Fräulein Schneider’s romantic admirer is Jewish fruit stand owner, Herr Schultz (Bruce Sabath) who considers himself a German first and a Jew second. Need I say more. 

And when the Emcee comes out singing “If You Could See Her Through My Eyes” I was just as offended by the gorilla as I was the pig version. Just a thought. 

Lincoln Clauss, Emcee

Even as the Germans make their presence known and the Emcee is wearing a long black coat similar to the Nazis’,  things at the boarding house between Schultz and Fräulein Schneider (“What Would You Do”?) begin to take its toll as the tide suddenly turns and those thought friendly are now wearing the Red and Black arm bands and all join in “Tomorrow Belongs to Me”. 

Alejo Vietti designed the costumes, once again with the subtilty of those in Brown suits and Cory Pattak the lighting design, Paul Vaillancourt (co lighting), Haley Parcher sound design, Rachel Flesher flight director. 

 I can’t recall how many versions of Cabaret” I’ve seen (I even saw a production of “Cabaret Verboten” and  a production of “Cabaret” on the the Harvard campus on a visit to Boston years ago) and it never ceases to hit a nerve of fear in me as my country seems, like Sally, to not understand the dangers we are in. 

Hat's off to the Old Gobe.

Cast 

“Put down the knitting, the book, and the broom” and head to the CABARET. You won’t regret it.

When: 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays. 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Through Oct. 8.

Where: Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park

Tickets: $52 and up

Phone: (619) 234-5623

Photo: Jim Cox

Online: theoldglobe.org