'Cabaret' thrills, chills

The audience had the chance to leave its troubles outside with the pouring rain Wednesday night, as the touring company of "Cabaret" put on a show that was worthy of the high standards set by the Broadway revival.\nOn Broadway, "Cabaret" is presented in an actual nightclub setting (the infamous Studio 54 to be exact), and the touring version does lose something in the translation when the audience is sitting in a normal theater setting. But the staff at the IU Auditorium can't be blamed for not being enthusiastic about removing all of the seats for two days of "Cabaret." The distance created by the environment also means audiences are treated to a clearer picture of the company's talent, as it must project the image of a nightclub.\nAnd they aren't kidding when they say "even the orchestra is beautiful." From the ensemble (which also plays instruments in the orchestra) to the leading players, the entire cast poured all of its energy into the performance. If they were able to effectively present a whirlwind of emotion from about 30 feet away, the idea of having "Cabaret" girls and boys dancing in your face at your table is actually a little scary.\nThe story behind "Cabaret" is simple and complicated at the same time.\nOn one hand it's the love story of two couples who have to fight though differences and preconceived notions as they try to stay together. On the other hand, it's really about history and society and how the ideals of Nazi Germany can haunt any society if we don't have the education and strength to prevent it. On top of all that, parts of the show are uproariously funny and touching.\nAt the eye of this emotional hurricane is the host for the evening, the character who goes only by the name Emcee. No knowledge of acting is required to see that this role is incredibly difficult to portray; actor Christopher Sloan had the seemingly impossible job of bonding with the audience one minute and scaring it to death the next. And he pulled it off extremely well.\nThe other "lead" role in the show is Sally Bowles, the giddy, fickle but complicated star of the nightclub. Although actress Allison Spratt was a little shrill at first, she settled into the role nicely with a great rendition of "Mein Herr" and some entertaining banter as she wormed her way into the rented room (and heart) of American writer Clifford Bradshaw (John Byron Holley). \nThe second act of "Cabaret" is much more complicated than the first. This transition is clear starting with the second full-length song, "If You Could See Her." What looks like a gag involving the emcee and a gorilla becomes what original director Sam Mendes has called "a slap in the face" as the audience realizes what it's really seeing: anti-semitism at its worst. From there the plot spirals downhill, but the cast rose to the challenge, conveying a myriad of emotions without the use of too many words.\nAlthough the touring company that came to Bloomington has moved on, "Cabaret" is a worthwhile show to see no matter what the time or place. The wonderful story is far more desirable with the right cast, but the message of the dangers of ignorance is universal. Luckily, IU audiences got to have both a message and a good performance.