A Series Of Shadowy Events: Happenstance Theater's CABARET NOIR

Cabaret: a theatrical presentation of short sequences featuring recitation, drama, song, dance and comedy, often in the relaxed atmosphere of a night club.

Noir: a genre of fiction characterized by fatalism and moral ambiguity; in film, a cynical tone, dark atmosphere and shadowy photography.

‘Tis the season for something sinister, and Happenstance Theater delivers a very vintage version of their signature collage-style Cabaret show. Drawing on the aesthetics, tropes and ethos of Film Noir, they return to the scene of the mime with a deepened, narrative-enhanced iteration of an intrigue-rich evening. 

If you’ve a hankering for ‘40s fashions, stark lighting, suspicious characters, shadow-play, wispy fog, fedoras, fishy stories, fistfights, physical comedy, torch songs, desperation, slow dance, and at least a baker’s dozen of puns, here it is, in Happenstance Theater’s Cabaret Noir. 

It seems impossible, or at least improbable, that all of that and more fits into ONE show, with a cast of only six. The improbable, however, is what Happenstance does best. Mixing poetic motion, slapstick, verbal humor, exquisite costumes and precise timing with music, song and sound effects, presented in little vignettes that tell intertwined stories- or perhaps just one story, from different angles- they create an evening of theater absolutely unlike anything you’ll see anywhere around here. Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Sarah Olmsted Thomas, Gwen Grastorf, Alex Vernon and Stephanie Baird create an amazing assortment of scenarios, some of which can be strung together as a plot, and others which will just lead the viewer astray. 

I have reviewed Cabaret Noir before, almost a decade ago, when a bit of blowing newspaper wrapped itself around my brain and hasn’t let go. Congratulations to Alex Vernon, creative crafter and puppet master, for designing something so iconic and poignant that the newspaper becomes a recurring character in the updated Cabaret Noir.

A plot emerges, interspersed with evocative dance, sad tales, shocking revelations, hard-boiled interrogations, seamless musical handoffs, typewriter percussion, longing looks, and an evildoer named Sinclair.  A sheet of newspaper expands to a full section, and an actual sheet makes several appearances.

Stephanie Baird as Lefty, the musical arranger and designated musician of the piece, is understatedly skilled, combining with each of the other cast members, making all of the music slick as fish oil. Lefty’s monologue is intriguing with echoes of familiarity. Mark Jaster, a wonderful musician himself, extends his ineffable theatrical style to the whole group and his presence is evident even when he is offstage. 

Much of what I enjoy about Happenstance is movement-based. It’s fascinating to watch the Happenstance players glide so glibly from slapstick to dance to combat to stillness, and their slow-motion sequences are simply unparalleled. The precise timing required for them to be both effective and funny seems mysterious magic to me, though I’m certain it stems from countless hours of meticulous rehearsal.

With accents running the gamut of posh to wiseguy, the dialogue between performers is more than the sum of its words. Meaning lies in sound and delivery, the silences between, and the punctuative sighs. The professionalism of the players draws the viewer into the drama, and we find ourselves invested in every moment of the provocative pastiche. 

People are not the only storytellers in this show, however: certain objects and environmental phenomena acquire attitudes, if not actual personalities. Is there meaning in the strangely emotive behavior of a street lamp? A particular lighting change draws an audible gasp from the audience. A spotlight creates location and time progression. A cigarette lighter is a non-inconsequential player. A wrapped package is important- or is it? The whooshing of the wind is ominous, the sound of a closing window, heartbreaking. 

The attire, by Sabrina Mandell, two-time winner of the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Costuming, includes intricately beaded gowns, an assortment of footwear, an appropriately baggy suit or two, hats, handbags, bandages, blouses with bows, an absurdly comical wig and gaiters. The variety of outfits forms a fascinating parade of its own.

Lighting by Kris Thompson is, practically speaking, an additional player on the stage. Light and shadow being important features of the Noir genre, contrast is crucial to the production. Sure, I can imagine the show being done outdoors in the daytime, and it would be excellent, but it wouldn’t look as good.

When clockwork precision and hair trigger timing unite with a deadpan sense of the ridiculous, wraped in vintage velvet and kissed with red lipstick, that’s Cabaret Noir, and nobody but Happenstance Theater could create it. The experience is akin to being a leaf-jumper among film clips in a 1940's Hollywood editing room. 

Go for the tricks, enjoy the treats, and don’t be surprised to catch yourself sighing a little sigh or shedding a little tear as well as laughing a frightful lot.

Cabaret Noir runs at Baltimore’s Theatre Project November 1, 2, 8 & 9 at 7:30 PM; November 2 & 9 at 3:00 PM and November 3 & 10 at 4:00 PM. 

General Admission – $25; Senior/Artist/Military – $20; Student – $15

Purchase tickets at Theatre Project's box office (phone 410-752-8558, located in the lobby at 45 W. Preston St.); or purchase them online.

Leave yourself time to find street parking, as the public parking options I used to frequent have become mysteriously inaccessible. 

 “What was your favorite bit?” I ask my companion afterwards. “The newspaper,” he replies.

Photo: L to R, Sabrina Mandell, Mark Jaster, Alex Vernon, Gwen Grastorf and Sarah Olmsted Thomas in Cabaret Noir

Photo Credit: Leah Huete

Final Factoid: Robert Wiles’s beautiful photograph of Evelyn McHale’s death, which originally appeared in LIFE magazine in 1947, has been paid tribute by (among others) David Bowie, Pearl Jam, Kanye, Andy Worhol and Taylor Swift.

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