Cabaret - Alistair McGowan is new Emcee
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
ON APRIL 21, 2008, Alistair McGowan will take over the role of the Emcee from Julian Clary in Rufus Norris’ revival of Cabaret, which is currently booking until November 1, 2008, at the Lyric Theatre.
Impressionist, comedian and actor, Alistair McGowan’s recent London stage credits include the Carl Rosa Opera Company’s production of The Mikado (Gielgud Theatre) and Little Shop of Horrors (Duke of York’s and Ambassadors Theatres). He had previously starred alongside Dame Judi Dench in the RSC’s adaptation of The Merry Wives of Windsor at Stratford-upon-Avon.
Previously Posted: Rufus Norris’ revival of Cabaret, which this week won the prize for Best Musical Theatre at the 55th annual Variety Club Showbusiness Awards, has extended its booking period at the Lyric Theatre by eight months – until November 1, 2008.
The current cast includes Amy Nuttall (as Sally Bowles), Julian Clary (the Emcee), Angela Richards (Fraulein Schneider), Michael Hayden (Clifford Bradshaw), Barry James (Herr Schultz), Harriet Thorpe (Fraulein Kost) and Andrew Maud (Ernst Ludwig).
Previously Posted: From October 2, 2007, Julian Clary and Amy Nuttall will take over from James Dreyfus (the Emcee) and Kim Medcalf (Sally Bowles) in Rufus Norris’ revival of Cabaret which is currently booking until March 1, 2008 at the Lyric Theatre.
Clary, best known for his campness and outrageous costumes, began his career on the London stand-up circuit. He later moved to television where he’s hosted quiz and comedy shows such as Sticky Moments with Julian Clary, All Rise for Julian Clary, Mr and Mrs and Prickly Heat. In 2004, he took part in the BBC series Strictly Come Dancing, finishing third with his partner Erin Boag.
Clary also appears regularly on stage in pantomime and was last seen in the West End in 2002 playing Leigh Bowery in the Boy George musical Taboo.
Although Nuttall is probably best known for her portrayal of Chloe Atkinson in the long-running soap Emmerdale, she appeared as Sarah Brown alongside Patrick Swayze, and then Don Johnson, in Michael Grandage’s production of Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre; as Eliza Doolittle in the UK tour of Trevor Nunn’s production of My Fair Lady alongside Christopher Cazenove and Honor Blackman; and when she was just 16, was lead understudy for the role of Christine in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera.
She is currently starring as TWA stewardess Gloria in Matthew Warchus’ production of Boeing-Boeing at the Comedy Theatre.
Also joining the cast of Cabaret on October 2 will be Angela Richards (Side by Side by Sondheim, Blood Brothers, Cats); and Barry James (Little Shop of Horrors) who will be taking over from Honor Blackman as Fraulein Schneider and Francis Matthews as Herr Schultz.
Based on the stories of Christopher Isherwood and the play by John Van Druten, Cabaret is a story of pre-war sexual decadence and eroticism set in 1930s Berlin, where young Sally Bowles is a singer at the Kit Kat Klub…..
Songs include Willkommen, Two Ladies, Sitting Pretty, If You Could See Her and, of course, the title song itself.
In 1966, Cabaret premiered on Broadway and in 1972, was given the big screen treatment – so successfully that it won eight Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Liza Minnelli (as Sally), Best Supporting Actor for Joel Grey (as the Emcee), Best Director (Bob Fosse) and Best Score.
It was first seen in London in 1968 with Dame Judi Dench as Sally. Later, in 1993, Sam Mendes’ revival for the Donmar Warehouse eventually transferred to Broadway, where it ran from 1998 to 2004.
Cabaret, which is produced at the Lyric by Bill Kenwright, has a book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.
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