Preview: MTW presents Cabaret

Cabaret is a crazy, raunchy riot of a musical that promises to sweep up its audience in its fervour and leave them breathless with its intensity when it plays at Warwick Arts Centre from 18 – 21 May. Whilst I was sadly unable to see an entire run-through of the musical, the glimpses I did get showed me that this is not a production to be missed.

Cabaret is a hilarious and heart-breaking story that explores the seedy but seductive Kit Kat Klub in Nazi Germany, alongside the love story between its star performer Sally and the young American author Cliff; MTW more than do the work justice.

Cabaret is a provocative powerhouse of a musical, with a cast full of relentless energy.

From the opening song ‘Wilkwommen’, it becomes clear that Cabaret is a provocative powerhouse of a musical, with a cast full of relentless energy. While all involved performed to the usual high MTW standard, Sally (played by Lizzie Melbourne) and the Emcee (played by Doug Cairns) stand out as exceptional. Melbourne’s voice is perfectly suited to the cabaret scene, and her rendition of ‘Don’t Tell Mama’ is funny and raunchy, enhanced by the skill of the other Kit Kat Klub girls who perform with unity and precision. Cairns’ Emcee is a flamboyant figure who conducts the cabaret, and gives an outstanding performance in the song ‘Two Ladies’, which is genuinely hilarious.

The singing is accompanied by a band 17 members strong, giving the songs depth and power, and also by Georgia Carrington’s remarkable choreography, which the cast have clearly put huge amounts of time and effort into, as the routines are performed nearly completely in-sync. A peek at the set shows that it will match the standard of the rest of the show, complete with an impressive replica of the iconic Cabaret sign.

Hill felt that the show was intensely relevant to modern life when we consider the Islamophobia propagated by Trump’s presidential campaign in America.

A talk with one director, Paddy Hill, reveals the motivation behind choosing Cabaret. As the play looks at Nazi Germany and the discrimination against the Jews, Hill felt that it was intensely relevant to modern life when we consider the Islamophobia propagated by Trump’s presidential campaign in America, as well as the plight of the refugees and the discrimination they face daily.

While I only saw a tiny piece of the musical’s finished version, it looks set to be an incredible show that will provide a welcome break from the relentless revision of Term 3, and I recommend that everyone go immerse themselves in the mad and marvellous world of Cabaret.

MTW’s Cabaret will be on Warwick Arts Centre from 18 – 21 May. Get your tickets here now!