by Steve Desroches
“So life is disappointing, forget it! In here life is beautiful.”
And so goes the famous introduction from the Emcee in the classic Kander and Ebb musical Cabaret, a cautionary tale of the perils of sipping champagne of indifference while madness is banging at the door. A wise choice for the times we live in, the Peregrine Theatre Ensemble presents their summer production as a moody and brooding interpretation of this well known show, sticking closer to the roots of the story than the more familiar interpretations of this grand party as the world begins to crumble.
The strength of the Peregrine Theatre Ensemble, and its important role in town, is that they are one of the few institutions on the Outer Cape that continually provide an outlet for young, emerging actors to gain experience in professional theater and be part of the larger creative community in Provincetown becoming part of its storied legacy. Since their founding in 2012 the company has been a vital outlet for student actors, primarily from conservatories and theater programs in New York City and Boston, to be able to explore their craft in the supportive environment Provincetown provides for the arts. And through this summer long run of Cabaret the cast is able to apply their experience thus far as actors and dancers as they work that into the important message within the musical and braid together the complicated emotions of vulnerable people living in complicated times.
As a cast, though, the standouts are Halcyone Joseph Cabral and Ian Leahy as Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, two older people living alone who find love when they thought such a possibility had passed them by, only to find that the bigotry of the Nazis threatens their newfound happiness. Cabral beautifully portrays the cautious optimism and the heartbreaking pragmatism of a woman of that time and station in life while Leahy brings his own optimism to the character with the hint of tremor that he, too, deep inside knows things are not going to get better.
Eli Neslund gives a chill as Ernst Ludwig, an initially relatable and likeable character who embraces the Nazi ideology with a steely calmness. Caitlin Rose’s performance as Fräulein Kost provides a narrative thread that acts as a continual reminder of the toxic combination of being an opportunist and a push over as she creates a character that is foolish enough to believe the Nazi promise that “tomorrow belongs to me” includes her. Owen O’Leary portrays the naiveté and wide-eyed wonder of the aspiring American writer Cliff Bradshaw with squeaky-clean adeptness, while Sarah Thorn as Sally Bowles and Ryan McNevin as the Emcee each bring a grit and unique interpretation of these ultimately doomed figures.
The set by Ellen Rousseau, the lighting design by Gifford Williams, the costumes by Seth Bodie, and the choreography by Kyle Pleasant, who also directs the show, all give the show a lush professionalism as the best moments are the ensemble numbers with fabulous dance numbers that punctuate a production that can at times be slow moving and low energy, but also embraces the gravitas of this timely tale.
Cabaret is performed at Fishermen Hall, 12 Winslow St., Provincetown, Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. through August 31 (no performance August 22). Tickets ($45) are available at the door and online at fishermenhall.com. For more information call 774.538.9084.
