[NEohioPAL]Berko review: CABARET (Kalliope Stage)

[Roy Berko]

Kalliope’s ‘Cabaret’ pulls out all the stops!

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times

Christopher Isherwood, an American writer, lived in
Germany from 1929 to 1933.  He witnessed, first hand,
the social and political changes that would soon
explode into the rise of Hitler, the second world war,
the destruction of 6 million Jews and many thousands
of homosexuals.  He turned his observations into the
book ‘BERLIN STORIES,’ which was transformed into the
play ‘I AM A CAMERA.’  This, in turn, not only became
the musical ‘CABARET,’ one of the longest running
shows on Broadway, and but an award-winning movie. 
The stage version of “CABARET’ is being produced at
Kalliope Stage. 

The original musical production, with book by Joe
Masteroff, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John
Kander, opened on Broadway in 1966 and starred
Clevelander Joel Gray as the Emcee  It used a
classical writing and staging method developed by
Bertolt Brecht which included historification,
alienation and epic.  Historification concerns placing
a play in a specific era, but making the audience
aware that they could apply the lessons learned to
modern day.  Alienation forces the audience to know
they are in a theatre by suspending the lights and
creating settings that don’t depict exact reality. 
Epic centers on making the production grand, bigger
than life, bigger than that on stage thus encouraging
the viewer to examine the world around
himself/herself.  In the original production, a large
convex mirror greeted theatre-goers and reflected each
of them in grotesque shapes they proceeded to their
seats.  The Emcee spoke to the audience and cast
members went out into the audience.

The 1987 Broadway revival kept that same style.  In
1998 the show took on a new sheen and became one of
even more decadence.  It stressed the homoerotic
nature of the era and the Emcee, portrayed by Alan
Cumming, became a sensual gay symbol.  This extended
the story beyond just the impending persecution of the
Jews, but that of homosexuals as well. 

On the surface the story is about Clifford Bradshaw
(Isherwood’s alter-self).  After finding housing,
Cliff visits the sleazy Kit Kat Club and meets English
singer, Sally Bowles.  Though Cliff is gay, the writer
and singer soon fall in love.  Meanwhile, Clifford's
elderly landlord, Fraulein Schneider, gets engaged to
a Jewish greengrocer, Herr Schultz – not an easy
decision given the increasing influence of the Nazis. 
Clifford discovers that he has been inadvertently
helping the Nazis by delivering packages to Paris for
a German friend.  He decides to return to the United
States but Sally, after aborting a baby, remains in
Berlin.  The story’s implications go well beyond the
basic story.

Kalliope Stage’s production is both exciting and
disturbing.  It is engrossing and off-putting.  At
times it is brilliant and at other times amateurish.  

Director Paul Gurgol pulls out all the stops.  This
production is not for prudes.  There is female nudity,
males often appear in leather thongs and assorted
revealing garments.  The language is in-your face. 
There is simulated Sadomasochism and blunt revelation
of Hitler’s march to power.  This is a show and
production which flaunts decadence, titillation, and
vulgarity.

The power of the production, especially the very final
scene (a brilliant concept by Gurgol), overshadows
much of the performance’s inconsistencies.  

Jodi Brinkman is quite good as Sally.  Her voice is
strong, her acting good.  Unfortunately, there is
little emotional connection with Rick Hamilton (Cliff)
and that diminishes her characterization.  Her “Maybe
This Time” is beautifully performed.

Rick Hamilton doesn’t quite convince as Cliff.  His
characterization stays much on the surface, his
singing voice is acceptable.  

Jay Strauss (Herr Schultz) and Kathleen Huber (Fr.
Schneider) are both excellent in voice and character
development.  Huber’s “What Would You Do?” is
poignant.

Kimberly Koljat (Rosie) and Katherine DeBoer (Lulu)
are delightful in the song and dance number “Two
Ladies.”

Joseph Haladey III almost steals the show as Hans, a
clown character.  He makes the final scene of the show
chilling.

John Paul Boukis tries hard in the role of the Emcee. 
He simply does not have the sensuality to pull off the
role as needed for this interpretation.  Also, and
this is Gurgol’s fault, not that of Boukis, the power
of the Emcee being dragged off stage near the
conclusion of the show is diminished since most of the
audience was unaware this was done because he was gay.
 The wearing of a pink triangle could have increased
this awareness.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Kalliope Stage’s ‘CABARET’ lets
out all the stops.  It is a show worth seeing for
those who are amenable to have their senses assaulted
and are willing to put up with some of the
production’s inconsistencies.

PS...There is excessive smoking in this production. 
Due to the closeness of the audience to the
performance area this can cause allergic reactions.

‘CABARET’ runs through  October 16 at 2134 Lee Road in
Cleveland Heights.  For tickets call 216-321-0870 or
go on line to www.KalliopeStage.com.
	



Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.

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