ŠIT WAS 23 years ago in 1986 when ballet dancer Wayne Sleep first played the Emcee in the musical, Cabaret, in London's West End.
He's still at it and still giving it all he has got in this latest Bill Kenwright-produced version which arrived last night at the Floral, the venue's first West End musical.
ŠThe show itself has changed over the years – Dame Judi Dench played Sally Bowles in the earlier 1968 London production when it was a more intimate play with music. Following Bob Fosse's exuberant and sexy film, subsequent stage versions have followed the decadent look.Š
ŠThis production is a happy marriage between the intimate story and the glitzy. It is certainly sexy – be prepared for some naked bodies (albeit rear views) and plenty of basques, stockings and suspenders.
ŠWayne Sleep even goes for the same Šstocking and suspenders look with the addition of leather shorts.
ŠHe makes immediate contact with the audienceŠ– "I can't hear you!" he shouts when seeking an audience response – and then into the tale of early 1930s Berlin based around the naughty Kit Kat Club.
ŠThe romantic centre is delightfully played by Siobhan Dillon as a very English cabaret singer Sally Bowles and Hollyoaks actor Henry Luxemburg gives a fine perfomance as visiting American Cliff BradshawŠ.
ŠShe sings well and looks suitably fragile, bright Šand innocent (although naughty on the Kit Kat stage) and he has an Šinteresting personality as the sexually confused Cliff.
ŠBut it is the look of the show that comes across strongest with the club – called Kabaret here – beautifully decadent in Katrina Lindsay's designs and the cast going through all sorts of dance contortions with the choreography of Javier De Frutos, influenced by, but not too like, Fosse's work.
ŠJenny Logan and Matt Zimmerman score heavily as the elderly couple who fall in love and the John Kander and Fred Ebb score (one of the best in all musicals) is brightly played by the pit orchestra led by Tom de Keyser.
ŠThe back story of the rise of the Nazis is not forgotten and the production itself, directed by Rufus Norris, is clear, lively, and intelligent. It remains one of the great musical shows.
PHILIP KEY
