Delightful “Cabaret” Hits All the Right Notes

The new production of Roundabout Theatre Company’s Cabaret is first-rate, with showstopping choreography and a heartfelt story beneath all the glitz and glamour.

Andrea Goss stars as the sultry and seductive chanteuse Sally Bowles, who is the main attraction of the Kit Kat Klub in Berlin. The Emcee (Randy Harrison) describes this decadent environment as a place where everyone is beautiful. However, the ugliness of the real world soon makes its presence known and affects everyone’s lives.
Sally develops an attraction for Cliff Bradshaw (Lee Aaron Rosen), an American writer who is staying in the flophouse operated by  Fraulein Schneider (Shannon Cochran).  Cliff later learns about the virulent political views of his German friend Ernst Ludwig and realizes Berlin is about to be overtaken by a great evil.

Cabaret ends with a truly haunting visual that underscores the horror of bigotry.

Harrison gave a tour de force performance as the charismatic Emcee, who delights in using men and women as sex objects. There was a lot of kink on stage, which suited the debauched club scene well. This is certainly not a show suitable for children. Goss delivered a stellar rendition of “Cabaret” and also shined on “Maybe This Time” and “Don’t Tell Mama.” Alison Ewing had some funny moments as Fraulein Kost and Ned Noyes was suitably slimy as Ludwig.

For me, the two performances that really distinguished this production were from Cochran as Schneider and Mark Nelson as Herr Schultz. Schneider has a romance with Schultz, a Jewish man who rents a room from her. They find their love threatened by the rise of the Nazis. The way these characters are brought to life by the actors make this show worth seeing.

Cochran excelled on the poignant “What Would You Do.” Cochran and Nelson also had a charming duet at the end of Act One, “Married.”

Choreographer Cynthia Onrubia has created one dazzling showcase after another for the dancers.

Robert Brill’s stunning set design featured a giant picture frame suspended above the stage, along with two spiral staircases. The costumes, lighting design, and sound effects were also superb.

This Cabaret is a winner.