Cabaret

Charissa Hogeland

The F. Otto Haas Stage of the Arden Theatre, located at 40 N. 2^nd Street, Olde City, had been magnificently transformed into a two-level Cabaret through October 22, 2017. Blink and you are transported to the lavish  gay night life of decadent 1929 –30 Berlin. The Kit Kat Club  comes to life before the show even starts as actors interact with audience members. The very talented and flamboyant emcee John Jarboe  makes dramatic entrances and perches on the laps of smiling audience members. His articulation in the fast-paced “Money"  defies description. The choreography throughout the show is excellent.  The timing is superb  with the dancers' many minute steps and movements working like clockwork. It is even more impressive to note that in some of the numbers not all of the dancers are women dressed in the stockings and heels. The staging has a wow factor of ten!  Cabaret tables are set up on the floor near the stage with phones on each. The emcee comes up and down the aisles and sometimes starts to sing  from the back of the theatre. Charissa  Hogeland,  with her commanding voice as Sally Bowles, sings on the main floor of the Kit Kat club or on the balcony.  She not only can sing a seductive melody, but can also belt out cries of anguish. Mary Elizabeth Scallen’s performance as Fräulein Schneider.is exceptional. Her renditions of  “So What?” and “What Would You Do?” are rendered with as much emotion through her eyes as through her voice. Kenny Morris as Herr Shulz is her perfect foil. The show ends with great drama and emotion…  a fitting ending to a phenomenal work of art. For more information or tickets,  call 215-922-1122 or visit online at www.ardentheatre.org