Cabaret - Blackman and Medcalf join cast
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
RUFUS Norris’ revival of the Kander and Ebb musical Cabaret has extended its booking period by five months – until March 1, 2008.
Previously Posted: From April 2, 2007, Honor Blackman will replace Sheila Hancock as Fraulein Schneider, and Kim Medcalf will take over the role of Sally Bowles from Anna Maxwell-Martin, in Rufus Norris’ revival of Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre.
Although Blackman will always be remembered for her roles in Goldfinger (Pussy Galore) and The Avengers (Dr Cathy Gale), her acting credits are numerous and include The Kingfisher, My fair Lady and The Glass Menagerie (stage); and The Upper Hand, Doctors, Coronation Street, Revolver and New Tricks (TV).
Medcalf, best known as EastEnders‘ Sam Mitchell, recently appeared alongside Dame Judi Dench in Hay Fever at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Her musical credits include South Pacific at the Symphony Hall.
Joining Blackman and Medcalf will be Francis Matthews (as Herr Schultz) who previously starred alongside Blackman in The Kingfisher.
His other credits include the Old Vic’s production of The Wind in the Willows (as Badger), About Alice, The Gentle Hook and Let’s Do It (theatre); and All About George, Heartbeat and The Royal (TV).
James Dreyfus and Michael Hayden will continue in their roles as the Emcee and Cliff respectively.
Sheila Hancock won this year’s Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her portrayal of Fraulein Schneider.
Previously Posted: Rufus Norris’ revival of Cabaret has extended its run at the Lyric Theatre – until September 29, 2007.
Previously Posted: Casting has been announced for Rufus Norris’ revival of Cabaret which opens at the Lyric Theatre on October 10, 2006 (previews from September 22).
British stars Anna Maxwell Martin, James Dreyfus and Sheila Hancock will star alongside American actor Michael Hayden.
Maxwell Martin, who will be making her West End musical debut playing Sally Bowles, has appeared in many plays – His Dark Materials (in which she created the role of Lyra), The Coast of Utopia, Three Sisters, Dumb Show, Honour and Other Hands.
And this year, she won the Best Actress BAFTA for her performance as Esther Summerson in the BBC series Bleak House.
Dreyfus, who is currently starring in Donkeys’ Years at the Comedy Theatre, will play the Kit Kat Klub’s Emcee. His other stage credits include Lady in the Dark (for which he won an Olivier), and The Producers (in which he created the London role of Carmen Ghia).
His screen work includes The Thin Blue Line, Absolutely Fabulous, Notting Hill and Colour Me Kubrick.
Hancock, who will play Fraulein Schneider, has enjoyed a long and successful career spanning theatre, film and television. She was last seen on the West End stage just last year in Bill McIllwraith’s comedy, The Anniversary.
Hayden, who made his Broadway debut playing Billy Bigelow in the National Theatre’s 1992 production of Carousel, will play Cliff, a part he previously played in 1999, in Sam Mendes’ Broadway production of the musical.
His other New York credits include Festen which was directed by Rufus Norris, Henry IV, Judgment at Nuremburg, Dessa Rosa and All My Sons.
Previously Posted: A revival of the Kander and Ebb musical, Cabaret, will open at the West End’s Lyric Theatre on October 10, 2006 (previews from September 22), and is initially booking until April 7, 2007.
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.
While there, it picked up numerous awards, including Tonys for Best Musical Revival, Best Actor in a Musical (Alan Cumming) and Best Actress in a Musical (Natasha Richardson).
The new London production will be produced by Bill Kenwright and directed by Rufus Norris whose credits include Tintin, Blood Wedding, Sleeping Beauty, Peribanez, Afore Night Comes and Festen for which he won both the Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Director.
Although casting has not yet been announced, names rumoured in connection with the role of Sally have included Denise Van Outen and, more recently, Martine McCutcheon.