Cabaret, Moonbox Productions, Virginia Wimberly Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion. Boston Center for the Arts, through April 29. 617-933-8600 or bostontheatrescene.com
Christopher Isherwood compared himself to "a camera, with its shutter open" in his 1931 novel "Goodbye to Berlin." In Rachel Bertone's powerfully disturbing Moonbox Productions revival of the landmark pre-Holocaust-set Broadway musical "Cabaret"(1966), an initial center stage gramophone becomes a framing device.
In its own way it becomes as important recording the fall of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Third Reich as the Shoah (Holocaust) Foundation's growing oral history of the experiences of Jewish concentration camp survivors.
Eventually in Bertone's brilliant conception, key observations from a diversity of the musical's characters seem to rise from the very same handsome gramophone as a kind of eerie warning about the perils of apathy as well as the dangers of anti-Semitism and hatred of others.
In her playbill director's notes, she briefly traces the evolution of Isherwood's pre-Nazi Germany-set fiction into the John Van Druten 1951 play "I Am a Camera" that they inspired and eventually the award-winning original production (1967 Tony) and haunting New York revival (1998 Tony) of "Cabaret." She modestly describes her staging as "a fresh snapshot." In actuality, her blisteringly unsparing effort proves as unforgettable as its Broadway predecessors.
As with the strikingly raunchy revival, the pivotal welcoming Emcee moves chameleon-like by from master of ceremony to Nazi supporter and finally to victim wearing both the yellow badge required for Jews and pink triangle for gay. His provocative attire matches the decadence of Weimar Germany-by turns suspenders, undershirt and black pants, sinister trench coat and even blingy evening dress with large dangling earrings.
Great credit goes to Bertone's talented costume-designing mother Marian Bertone. The seedy Kit Kat Club is just as decadent as in the groundbreaking revival. Janie E. Howland has designed the Moonbox Production club with a metaphorical tilt that reminds audience members at all times that Berlin and Germany are quickly and inexorably giving way to Nazism. The musicians may not match the Emcee in suggestive attire as they did in the intimate Club 54-staged revival, but they play 'beautifully' under the vigorous direction of pianist-conductor Dan Rodriguez-particularly during a high energy Entr'acte.
That energy pervades director-choreographer Bertone's very capable cast as well. Phil Tayler has the agility and commanding presence that Alan Cumming brought to his Tony-deserving performance as the Emcee in the revival. He sings and moves with full dynamism-especially in the signature number "Wilkommen" and the chillingly ironic solo "I Don't Care Much."
Aimee Doherty brings fresh insight in song and portrayal to the role of apolitical English Kit Kat Club headliner Sally Bowles. Her building belt-rich rendition of the famous title number has both devil may care abandon and sadness as she looks to the empty chair where Germany-fleeing roommate and boyfriend Clifford Bradshaw used to sit. Jared Troilo gives the best-sung performance as bisexual novelist-tutor Clifford that this critic has seen (including both of the Alan Cumming-starring revivals and several Boston productions).
He rivetingly catches Bradshaw's rage as well as tenderness with Bowles as well as his early combination of naiveté and renewed attraction to Kit Kat Club Bobby (whom he met at the Nightingale Club in London in his back story). His duet on the disarmingly carefree early "Perfectly Marvelous" duet with Doherty has appealing chemistry. Another standout is Marilyn Zschau's pathos-rich performance as landlady Fraulein Schneider. Her heartfelt delivery of Schneider's anthem-like defense of her obsession-like determination to survive the Nazis in "What Would You Do?" has the right combination of challenge and sadness. Ray O'Hare is properly charming and likeable as Jewish fruit seller Herr Schultz-particular with Schneider, though he could do with a bit more of the edge that Danny Burstein brought to the role in the 22222014 reprisal of the revival.
The cast tellingly takes no bow after the Holocaust-connected final exit of badge-wearing Jews and gays. As yet, hatred sadly has no curtain as the Moonbox Productions revival importantly warns.