“Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club” returns to Broadway as a reimagination of original

Starring Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin, the show will seat its audience directly in the centre of the action!

The iconic musical "Cabaret" is back on Broadway, but this time, audiences will be more than just spectators.

Opening this weekend at the August Wilson Theatre in New York, "Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club" is a complete revamp of the classic show. The stage has been ripped out and replaced with seating in the round, placing the audience right in the center of the action.

Speaking to CBS news, actor Gayle Rankin said, "The cabaret is a place of hope." Rankin, who takes on the role of Sally Bowles (originally played by Liza Minnelli in the film) continued, "And I think it's why all of these really extraordinary beings descend on it, and how that hope is dashed and broken and destroyed."

Gayle Rankin as Sally Bowles (Courtesy: CBS News)

Rankin added, reflecting the show's dark undercurrent set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany's rise to power.

Olivier Award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, who plays the Emcee, says the production is a stark reminder of the dangers of complacency.

"Is 'Cabaret' a warning?'" Redmayne asks. "For me, it is. It shows the hope, the joy, the aspiration, but it shows how progress can be taken from you, and we can regress."

Eddie Redmayne as the Emcee (Courtesy: CBS News)

Redmayne spoke further about his original connection to the play, “I was about 14 or 15 years old, I was at school, and I was cast as the Emcee. And I'd never listened to 'Cabaret,' so that was my introduction to it. And something in that experience struck me.

“I don't come from a very theatrical family. My parents were always beautifully supportive, but from an early age I was like, 'Oh, this is what I wanna do,’” he recalled. “And I'll never forget that after they came to see my school production of 'Cabaret,' they were like, 'Go for it.'"

This immersive production goes beyond the stage. Audience members enter through a side door and are greeted by a pre-show experience featuring performers and musicians, further blurring the lines between reality and the world of the Kit Kat Klub.

With an all-star cast and a groundbreaking production, "Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club" promises to be a must-see for theatregoers.