Life is Not a Caberet

So, Mom said she's tired of checking my blog and seeing "Twins!" still at the top. So, here's a new blog for you.

I've been working this week for the gift shop for TUTS. They are producing "Cabaret". I have to admit it's a fascinating show - very dark, very disturbing, plus a tad bit of nudity and "simulated sex acts". So I'm somewhat surprised that I like it. I've been thinking about this a lot. There are a lot of shows out there that I find very distasteful. (I started to list them, but changed my mind; the specific shows are not important.)

What I'm trying to figure out is why I don't put this one in the same category. I've always told myself that I just don't need to see this kind of stuff on stage - sex, drugs, profanity. I want to go to the theater to be entertained - to escape reality. I don't want reality thrown in my face. And here comes "Cabaret" which is basically about a group of people who hid from reality but reality didn't go away. Hmmmm.

When it comes down to it, "Cabaret" is a morality play. It portrays a debauched society that is trying to pretend they are happy. And they aren't. None of them. I was trying to tell a younger audience person what the show was going to be about. As I described Sally Bowles and her sad life, the girl said, "But she wants to have a better life, right?" And I had to say, "No. The life she has is the one she wanted, and she won't admit she's miserable." It ain't a happy ending.

All of this PLUS the rise of the Nazi party make for just a fascinating story. "Cabaret" suggests that the German people let the Nazi party take power because of apathy and denial. They drowned their sorrows and misgivings in the lusts of their flesh. And they didn't sober up in time to stop it.

Do I have to point out the similarity to current America? Do you think that's too harsh?