CABARET   

A Review, 

by Julie Mack

People stopped by to read the review.

       In pre-Nazi Berlin, the "hottest" spot in town is the Kit Kat Club, where life is beautiful ... the women are beautiful ... and the men are beautiful. But, it's all a facade, and the Kit Kat Club is merely an establishment where people can indulge themselves for a few hours ... and lose themselves and their inhibitions. And that, ultimately, is what happens to the characters in "Cabaret," which opened to previews on Tuesday night, February 23 at The Wilshire Theatre in Los Angeles. I was lucky enough to be in attendance. The entertainers at the Kit Kat Club indulge and lose themselves in their musical numbers, each one designed to pull the cabaret-goers into their dark, tawdry world of lost souls. 

          These second-rate entertainers, with their over-indulgence in smoking and sex, were the pre-cursors to the over-indulgent rock stars of the late 70s/early 80s. Where "Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll" were the battle cry of performers like Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne, the Kit Kat dancers and musicians follow the battle cry of "Sex, Sex, and more Sex." They're young, beautiful, bored, and cynical about life and their world. A perfect breeding ground for sowing the seeds of racial hatred. And the Nazis knew that. The Master of Ceremonies (played by Norbert Leo Butz) is the ringmaster of this circus. Decadent, lusty, horny, and downright profane at times, the emcee is the only character who isn't running away from who they truly are. He knows exactly what he is, who he is, and what will happen to him. Cliff Bradshaw (played by Rick Holmes) is running from himself, not sure what he wants to do with his life, not completely sure who he is in life. As the Nazis become more powerful, he's faced with a tough decision: leave Berlin with the woman he apparently loves or leave Berlin alone. 

          Ultimately, Cliff's decision is taken out of his hands and he returns home to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania a sadder man, still unsure of what or who he is. Sally Bowles (played by Teri Hatcher) is a sad woman intent on ruining the one true chance at love and escape from the pit of despair that she has fallen into. The lure of the stage, the smell of the make-up, the utter decadence of the city and her comrades, as become as addicting to her as the gin she drinks the next morning to combat a hangover. You feel for Sally, wishing that she truly did have the strength to rise above her surroundings. 

          Yet ultimately, like the Emcee, Sally realizes that she's only a step above a dancing mermaid on a cruise ship and that her dreams of true happiness and stardom can never be achieved. The world and the political climate that this British exile finds herself surrounded by has beaten her down. Trust me, this is *not* the Liza Minelli-Joel Grey version of "Cabaret." There's a real grit and feeling of despair to this drama and the actors are well up to the challenge. Sally Bowles is NOT a class act. She's cheap, tawdry, and sleeps with whomever she thinks will further her career. Teri's portrayal of Sally Bowles is right on. Her lower-class British accent is right in keeping with the character and Teri acts at an almost frenetic pace, in keeping with the desperation that Sally is obviously feeling. She wants to reach out for the lifeline that is thrown to her, but fear and her own personal demons stop her. Teri's acting range was never more evident than in the closing scenes. The bittersweet quality, the shakiness in her voice, the regret and pain that Teri is able to project is incredible. The musical numbers serve to underscore the dreariness of life at the Kit Kat Club. Teri's singing is effective, blending between the sultriness of a chanteuse and the world-weariness of the second-rate performer that Sally Bowles is. It's not easy for trained dancers to dance cheaply, but the ladies of the Kit Kat Club all do it well and Teri's no slouch in that department either. She holds her own. 

          Tuesday night was the first night of previews, with the official opening night of Cabaret this past Wednesday, March 3. I have every confidence that as she continues to perform the role of Sally Bowles, Teri will feel and grow more confident with every performance. She will grow *into* the role. In my humble opinion, Teri Hatcher isn't seeking to displace Liza Minnelli's Oscar-winning or even Natasha Richardson's Tony-award winning characterizations of Sally Bowles as much as she is seeking to bring Sally Bowles to life for a new, younger generation of theater-goers: ones who themselves are a bit more "world-wise," bored, and cynical with life than those of us who can remember seeing Bob Fosse's movie when it was first released. I have always been in awe of actors and their ability to "become" the characters that they portray. Some have been more successful than others in terms of making you forget any other previous roles they may have had. For me, Teri Hatcher WAS Sally Bowles. Not once did I think of her as Lois Lane. Not once did a comparison to Liza Minelli come to mind. Now, *that's* acting!

Julie Mack