St. Ambrose University's Cabaret: Play Review

The St. Ambrose University’s rendition of Cabaret was definitely a play to be seen. Meant to be a informational and reflection all piece, Cabaret almost forces the audience to place themselves in the characters’ positions. Through the anger and violence, sexuality and promiscuity, and the Nazi’s search for Jews, this play is designed to shake the audience up and make them feel uncomfortable. Using metaphors and exaggerations, it tries to press the issues that are caused by people turning a blind eye to evil. With my prior knowledge of the Holocaust and Germany during this time, it is easy for me to say that I would not have conformed. However, after sitting in the theater and watching Cabaret, groupthink and conformity seemed a lot easier
to slip into, questioning my ability to stand firm in my own beliefs. Specifically in Cabaret, the director and original playwright used music and attitude to help sway and confuse the audience. From the tone and beat of the musics to the facial expressions and body language of the performers, the audience is thought to believe that everything is positive and light-hearted. Nonetheless, the lyrics and underlying message state the exact opposite. I think that this is a very interesting perspective used the play. While Jews, members of the LGBT community, and immigrants are being persecuted and exterminated, people of these communities are apathetic, complacent, and unprepared. The chaos and evil outside of the Kit Kat Club is covered up by drunkenness, drug use, and sexual immorality found within the Kit Kat Club. Despite the incredible plot and themes found within Cabaret, the production and performance of the play were outstanding.
The theater, itself, was renovated to bring the stage down to the audience’s level, making the farthest downstage in front of the first row of seats. The transition between dim and bright lighting really matched the mood felt by the audience and the scene that was being performed. As mentioned before, the use of music and the use of silence were also important for the perception of the audience. Careful attention was definitely given to the actors’ costumes and makeup in Cabaret. Actresses in the Kit Kat Club were dressed in black burlesque attire or what seemed to be nude undergarments with heels, while other actresses were dressed in the typical 1920’s flapper costume. For the men, suits and top hats were worn. Makeup for both actors and actresses was done to be very dramatic and dark, emphasizing the lips and eyes. From the playwright and director position, the costume choice and makeup provided a key component to the play, drawing the attention of the audience and focusing in on the outward
appearance. Having learned basic ballet technique and choreography, I was surprised to see similar steps and positions performed in Cabaret.
Dancers in this play used many different forms of dance, using props, having a partner, or dancing in unison with a group. The movements in their choreography were very large, incorporating the whole body, generally performed in a sensual or risqué fashion. I was familiar with a few of the steps they included in their choreography, specifically grand battements, attitude leg swings, pique turns, and pas de bourrees. The dancers, similar to teaching from our class, always had a very elongated neck, standing tall, and pointing their toes. I believe that this makes for a very confident look when on stage performing and noticed this stance in the other actors as well. However, I would probably classify this type of dance as more of a jazz style, instead of traditional ballet. The music was very jumpy and loud with many trumpet slurs, making it a fun and engaging dance to
watch. In Cabaret, the use of dance to enhance the plot and entertain the audience was, I believe, very well received. It provided a break from the script or in some cases supplemented it, creating the overall musical experience. I definitely, after watching this play, have a great appreciation for the elegance and coordination of dance performers. I cannot imagine performing the Cabaret style of dance in front of an audience in heels! All in all, I am really glad I had the opportunity to see Cabaret with a dancing lens on.