‘Cabaret’ falters between two notes

Tim Titus

“Cabaret” is a problematic musical. At its best, “Cabaret” is sharp

and chillingly political. It searingly depicts the dangers of

cowering behind hedonistic blinders as the world crashes down around

you.

At its worst, it is pure glitz, little more than sequin-studded

sugar that asks you to ignore the swastikas flying in the background

in favor of a smiley evening of sing-along.

Seeing “Cabaret” is like going to a potluck. Upon entering, eager

audiences scan the program in a quick attempt to ascertain whether

their favorite numbers will be performed.

It is always a mystery, for example, which “Money Song” will be

rapid-fired from the breathless emcee, if Herr Schultz will be

allowed to sing “Meeskite” and whether Sally will trot out her sweet

but stagnant “Maybe this Time.”

Because of these intricacies, when UC Irvine decided to produce

“Cabaret,” director Valerie Rachelle had some choices to make.

First, she had to place her production on a plot scale somewhere

between the bitter realties of the script and the tempting sweetness

of the dance numbers. Unfortunately, Rachelle never committed to an

interpretation.

The set design by Cory Lorenzen and some of Shana Targosz’s faded

and torn costumes suggest the dark, Skid Row interpretation of the

newer versions. Rachelle’s direction and choreography, however, are

neutered. Staging and characterizations are formulaic and give no

sense that the characters’ tragically misguided debauchery will

ultimately destroy them.

Second, Rachelle needed to select how to contrast the musical

numbers. “Cabaret” combines somewhat slow songs that advance the plot

with faster-paced nightclub numbers that reflect the lives of its

characters. The nightclub numbers get darker as the plot does, which

contributes to a sense of impending doom in the second act. In this

version, however, the nightclub numbers seem separate and disjointed.

They provide no light on the main plot, thus rendering them merely

cute interludes in an increasingly depressing story.

Perhaps most disappointing is “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” a haunting

Nazi anthem which, when sung at a Jewish engagement party, is

intended to bring the Act 1 fun and games to a screeching halt. It

should slam into the faces of the still smiling audience.

Although beautifully sung by an excellent chorus, there is no

sense of the very real tragedy the song represents to each character.

The number falls flat in the plot.

A few performances in the show stand out over the darkness. Sasha

Harris does manage to bring the play’s dark side into her role. She

perfectly baits the audience into caring for her, then allows us to

cry with her as she is dragged away from her life’s one chance at

love.

As her intended, Herr Schultz, Michael Morgan is equally

effective. The couple shares an undeniable chemistry that makes their

ill-fated romance all the more heart-rending.

More than most other musicals, “Cabaret” depends on its chorus.

From its opening strains, through its acrobatic production numbers,

and almost to the very last seconds of the play, the chorus provides

charisma, vital plot devices and powerful notes of song. This chorus

is particularly strong. Before the show begins, they are on stage

heckling the audience and providing atmosphere. Their voices are

perfectly tuned, giving the show musical grace and power. Most

importantly for this show, each member clearly brings his or her

character to the stage, revels in it and stays within that character

throughout the play. This makes each member stand out individually

and strengthens the overall story.

The role of the emcee may be the most difficult in musical

theater. Like the play, this pixie has many sides. He is at once

eerily omnipotent, yet fun and playful. Louie Carazo has trouble

playing the character’s contradictions. He nails the apathetic

frivolity but can’t quite get across the more complex and disturbing

aspects of the role. The below-the-surface elements of his character

just barely elude his grasp, resulting in a performance that is

naggingly just almost there.

Sean Spann does well as Cliff, the straight man in a cast of

comics. Spann effectively sets himself apart from everyone else,

making it all the more believable that Cliff is the only character

who comes to understand the Nazi menace. By contrast, Rebecca

Tourino’s Sally Bowles is one-dimensional. With a character written

to light up the stage, Tourino provides only a candle. Her useless

attempts at a British accent cast doubt on the university’s dialect

coaches.

“Cabaret” can be stark or glamorous, pure fun or alarmingly

prophetic. This production lies somewhere in the middle. A tweak in

the direction of starkness could have pushed into the political

realm. A nudge in the other direction would have made it shiny and

happy. This lack of commitment stands out, and the production suffers

for it.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.