Those familiar with the spectacular 1998 Broadway revival of Cabaret might leave the first act of Arena Stage’s current production wondering if the local theatre company played it entirely
too safe with their version. The tone of that first act is one of frenetic, unadulterated fun, a sort of harmless debauchery. And Brad Oscar as our trusty emcee, while he seems to be have a grand old time in the role, takes a clown-like approach to it: he has none of the overt sexuality or undercurrents of danger that previous actors have brought to the part.

Then the second act comes.

And it becomes completely clear what Arena Stage was going for with their almost-sunny opening, which now plays as a perfect, innocent contrast to the horror that awaits us during the play’s conclusion. Cabaret’s chilling final scene alone is worth the price of admission, when a harmless, almost endearing prop from the first act becomes the representation of something much more sinister when the lights go down.

This is powerful stuff, and overall a smart take on a work that often has its poignancy overshadowed by its sexy costumes, racy dancing and overly familiar Broadway tunes. Cabaret is a musical not just about Nazis, but about oppression in general, courage versus cowardice, and the danger of denial. Arena masterfully brings all these themes to the forefront. Instead of just resorting to the traditional Fosse dance tropes (jazz hands and pelvic thrusts, anyone?), choreographer David Neumann has plenty of his own tricks up his sleeve, all of which use Arena’s theater-in-the-round setup as an asset rather than a challenge to overcome. These include the use of a giant ladder thrusting towards the ceiling, or the way the entire chorus becomes a pulsing depiction of a car during the glitzy “Money Song.”