Review: CABARET At Theatre Rhinoceros

Cabaret

Book by Joe Masteroff, based on the play by John Van Druten & stories by Christopher Isherwood Music by John Kander & Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Directed by John Fisher

Theatre Rhinoceros

All shows presented in Theatre Rhino’s Castro location are intimate affairs. The venue is not a theatre in the traditional sense – no stage, a small, cramped dressing room, and less than 30 seats. But Artistic Director John Fisher keeps on plugging along and Rhino can still hold the claim of being the longest running gay theatre in the world.

This production of the dark and prophetic Cabaret made excellent use of the space, using cabaret style seating with the actors utilizing almost every available space in the room. Fisher’s direction pays off with an intimate, audience immersion into the proceedings that transforms Cabaret from a passive to an in-your-face experience.

Cabaret, with its themes of the rise of the Nazi movement and its rampant antisemitism, is extremely popular (two recent Bay Area productions) and very apt to today’s social and political landscape. It centers on two disintegrating love stories and includes the wild sexual freedom of Weimar Germany. Five principal roles make the show and if you can get capable performances the evening is a success.

As the MC (an Oscar winning role for Joel Grey in the 1972 film) a crucial role who shepherds the story from start to finish, is Rudy Guerrero. No demure slinking figure here- Guerrero is imposing, authoritative and affecting a good German accent. Cliff Bradshaw and Sally Bowles are the main couple. Brendan Looney and Megan Soledad get the juicy roles and made believable their delusional relationship and eventual crash. Looney’s face is extremely expressive, telegraphing his angst, anger, and frustrations. Soledad’s Sally is a coke-addled mess, flitting through life like a fruit fly unknowingly soon to vanish. She gets the big numbers (“Maybe This Time,” “Cabaret”) and manages them well.

The other love interest is the tragic story of Fraulein Schneider (Stephanie Fields) the landlord and her Jewish beau Herr Schultz (Gabriel A. Ross). Their marriage cannot be given the rampant antisemitism and her fear. The ensemble cast (M.C. Mendonca, Landyn Endo, and Emma Roth ) play many roles in this quite active staging. Armando Fox is musical director with Choreography by Adin Walker.

Next up for Theatre Rhinoceros: Doodler, A World Premiere of a Famous Story Conceived and Performed by John Fisher,  February 6 - March 2, 2025

Photo credits: Scott Sidorsky

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