Posts with the label Charles Hagerty
Showing posts with label Charles Hagerty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charles Hagerty. Show all posts
Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Cabaret (UK Tour), Edinburgh Playhouse | Review
Cabaret (UK Tour)
Edinburgh Playhouse
Reviewed on Tuesday 14th November 2017 by Liv Ancell
★★★★★
With the two headliners of this show – Will Young and Louise Redknapp - being bona-fide British primetime celebrities and regular tabloid fodder, its no wonder that Edinburgh turned out in force to see Cabaret, director Rufus Norris’ latest show.
While Louise and Will may have been the initial draw for some, they will have no doubt left the theatre feeling utterly bowled over by the timeless storyline, endearing characters, and unbeatable music of Cabaret.
What a test of stamina this show is for all involved! The frantically pulsating and contorting cast whirl around the stage at an alarming rate. The choreography was a level above anything else I’ve seen in recent times – the cast members pulled off gruelling moves which were positively acrobatic and perfectly timed.
Belting out Cabaret’s signature songs must be a challenging task; this musical feat was made even more impressive while simultaneously cartwheeling, gyrating, prancing and frolicking. Such sophisticated choreography from Javier du Frutos – especially in Wilkommen and The Money Song – really reinforced this show’s status as world-class.
Louise Redknapp gave everything to this performance, and the volumes to her voice will be sure to silence anybody who may have been skeptical about whether her popstar voice would survive a stage performance. From charming to sultry, to showgirl and seductive, her singing was a complete triumph. Charles Hagerty played Clifford Bradshaw wonderfully; embodying the morally righteous and somewhat naïve American author. His acting was second to none and he subtly conveyed an impressive range of emotions on stage.
This being said, Will Young is just in a class of his own. He wears the garb of the inimitable Emcee with utter brilliance. With incredible expression and by masterful voice control, Will gave the ultimate portrayal of the quirky and coquettish clown of the Berlin cabaret scene. His Emcee was equal parts playful and dark, and his German accent and sing-song voice was perfectly measured.
The raciness and nudity in the show was perfectly balanced by a more despairing and serious storyline. Nazi undercurrents perfectly underpinned the storyline, with the rising prejudice of the time tastefully portrayed and immortalised in this production. The ever endearing Herr Shultz – our patient and adorable Jewish man – was a stand-out character, and Linal Haft gave a commendable performance in this crucial role. His companion, Fraulein Kost (Basienka Blake) was equally commanding, and she too gave a convincing performance, not breaking her accent even during song.
The final scene – which I won’t give away – was sad and beautiful. The high tempo energy of Cabaret couldn’t keep going forever, and it left viewers with a lesson in history to remember. This show is incredible; it will invoke all sorts of emotions, including wonder, amazement and awe. I’d highly recommend going along if it comes to a theatre near you next; it’s absolutely unmissable!
Cabaret is at the Edinburgh Playhouse until November 18th before continuing its tour.
Photo credit: Pamela Raith
Saturday, 23 September 2017
Cabaret (UK Tour), New Wimbledon Theatre | Review
Cabaret (UK Tour)
New Wimbledon Theatre
Reviewed on Friday September 22nd 2017 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★
After Germany's defeat in World War 1, the treaty of Versaille was set out to totally humiliate the nation; inflation rocketed and the economy flew into a downward spiral. This was eventually stabilised but people had seen themselves and those around them lose everything so the idea of 'seizing the day' was adopted and Berlin became a heaving Bohemian world where you lived to enjoy the here and now. This is when we are thrown into the world of Cabaret. It's 1930 New Years Eve, a young American writer, Clifford Bradshaw has just arrived in Berlin and is ready to see what the city has to offer.
The show is a full on combination of things with dance, drink and drugs taking the lead as people relished in the decadent, censorship free lifestyle. The set by Katrina Lindsay manages to be bright and dark at the same time. There are moments of intense glitz and glam with flashing lights and moving sets but also moments of dim, dark spaces which imply what's to come as the golden age passes. The rise of fascism is extremely prevalent in Rufus Norris' production especially during the chilling final scene of act 1 when the Emcee turns into a puppet master, holding overgrown children at the end of strings as he sings the Aryan folk song Tomorrow Belongs To Me.
As the Emcee, Will Young is outstanding, suitably wacky but all-knowing at once. His comedic timing is wonderful as he soars through the notes with a sinister hint always shining through. Young is certainly the star of this show and it's clear why he was asked back to be part of the tour and his balloon clad rendition of Money was the stand out performance of the production for me.
Louise Redknapp takes on the iconic role of Sally Bowles, the British showgirl who has lost her way. Unfortunately Redknapp's performance fell flat at times; instead of showing a crumbling, emotional girl she was decadent, bold and showed very minimal signs of her struggle. At times her voice was strong but fell flat on her big number, Maybe This Time. Sally Bowles was originally written to be a somewhat second rate performer which is why she has previously been cast as an actress who can sing and opposed to a singer who can act however, Louise kind of fell in between the two and I felt a little underwhelmed.
Charles Hagerty is strong as Clifford, developing his various relationships well. His voice is incredibly strong and his performance of Why Should I Wake Up? is a stand out moment. A large part of the action has to do with Clifford's landlady Fräulein Schneider (Susan Penhaligon) and her relationship with the local Jewish fruit seller (Linal Schultz) as their normal lives begin to be put in jeopardy. The pair are great together and their affection for one another is very sweet to see.
This show is worth seeing for Young's performance and for the bold imaginative design and choreography but it needs more oomph overall.
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