Theatre Review: Cabaret

Published on Wednesday 25 March 2009 18:31

DESPITE coming first, Cabaret the stage show will always play second fiddle to the film, so in some ways it is already fighting an uphill battle. What doesn't help, however, is this production's schizophrenic personality – in short, it doesn't know what it wants to be.

Choreographer Javier De Frutos is a darling of the contemporary dance scene, and in a darker, more stylised production his overtly sexual, quirky moves would look right at home. In a relatively mainstream affair like this, however, they jar on more than one occasion.

Similarly, the incongruous blend of subject matter (the rise of Nazism in 1930s Berlin) with Wayne Sleep's out-of-character audience banter was nothing short of cringe-worthy. For the most part, Sleep's Emcee conveys just the right amount of flamboyant sleaziness – if only we could understand what he's saying.

Taking on her first lead role since BBC1's I'd Do Anything, Samantha Barks also had her work cut out. With its inextricable link to Liza Minnelli, the character of Sally Bowles is a tough nut to crack, and Barks doesn't quite make it. There's no denying her vocal ability – she's a joy to listen to – but at 18, she's too inexperienced to give the part the depth of feeling it demands.

In fact, the same could be said of the entire show. The musical numbers are entertaining and the supporting characters convincing, yet somehow the powerful emotions and sinister atmosphere that define Cabaret just aren't there.