For its final production of the year Newtown’s New Theatre has gone for a classic, the great 1966 American musical ‘Cabaret’, originally adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s novel, ‘Goodbye to Berlin’.

Louise Fischer, the New’s Artistic Director, picks up the play herself, and comes up with a big, brassy, bold production.

A large part of ‘Cabaret’ is its portrayal of the sensual, decadent, even debauched world of Berlin during the Weimar Republic years. Fischer’s production captures this devil may care world well with the cast making the most of the raunchy songs in the score, including ‘Two Ladies’, and ‘Telephone Dance’, and the production also features plenty of sexual by-play on stage and in interactions with the audience.

‘Cabaret’ is a lot about the great music, and the cast perform over twenty songs with lots of pizzazz, backed by the Kit Kat Klub, a great live band led by Sarah Cameron, which positioned themselves at the back left of the stage. Sheridan Harbridge’s rendition of ‘Cabaret’ was a stand-out, as were the big company numbers, ‘Don’t Tell Mama’ and ‘The Money Song’.

The dark side of ‘Cabaret’ lies in its portrayal of the emergence of Nazism. Fischer’s production effectively showed the descent into darkness, the shift from devil may care living to brutal repression, with highlights being the company’s haunting reprise of ‘Tomorrow Belongs To Me’, and Colleen Cook’s plaintive rendition of the ballad, ‘What would you do?’.

Fischer wins strong performances from her cast. The leads were good; Stephen Anderson as the brash, imposing Emcee who oversees the action, Sheridan Harbridge as the charming, vivacious Sally Bowles, and Matt Young’s portrayal of refined British author Clifford Bradshaw whose life is turned upside-down by Sally Bowles and the vibrancy of life in Berlin.

The pick of the supporting cast were Barry French’s excellent performance as the shy, cultured fruit vendor Herr Schultz, and at the opposite end of the personality spectrum, Crystal Hegedis’s bright portrayal of the wild living and loving Fraulein Kost.

Production values were strong. Tom Bannerman’s busy set, dominated by a platform down the centre of the stage for the big entrances, worked effectively. Cassandra Pascoli’s costume choices were flamboyant.

Hey, why sit alone in your room…?! Come and see Louise’s cabaret! ‘Cabaret’ plays the New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown until December 19, 2009.