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Cabaret
The musical opens in the Kit Kat Klub, a debauched sleazy cabaret at the dawn of the 1930s in Berlin. The Klub's Emcee, along with the cabaret girls and waiters enthusiastically welcomes the audience to the club. Then the scene shifts to a train station downtown where Clifford Bradshaw, a young American writer who had come to Berlin to find inspiration for his new novel disembarks. In the train the young writer befriends Ernst Ludwig, a German who offers him a job and suggests a boarding house for Cliff to live in.
He goes to the boarding house run by Fräulein Schneider and after a lot of haggling is allowed to stay there for fifty Marks. Later on Cliff decides to visit the Cabaret that Ernst had mentioned. At the club a young British singer, Sally Bowles sings. Later on she talks to Cliff over the phone and when he offers to take her home, she tells him about her jealous boyfriend. The next day Sally goes to Cliff's apartment and asks him to accommodate her as her boyfriend has thrown her out. Initially Cliff is reluctant but Sally manages to convince him and the landlady. Then the musical focuses on the budding romance between Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, an elderly Jewish fruit-shop owner.
After months of living together Cliff and Sally have fallen in love. Cliff realizes the futility of the situation but does nothing. Sally tells him that she is pregnant but does not know who the father is. She decides to get an abortion done but Cliff convinces her not to do so. Ernst the man Cliff had met in the train asks Cliff to deliver a suitcase. Cliff takes up the assignment thinking it was easy money. In the meantime Fräulein Schneider reprimands Fräulein Kost for bringing sailors into her room. In the discussion that follows Fräulein Kost tells that she had seen Fräulein Schneider with Herr Schultz in her room. In order to save his lovers reputation, Herr Schultz informs that the two are getting married in three weeks time. After the boarder leaves, Herr Schultz actually proposes to Frau Schneider. The duo throws a party and in order to take revenge Fräulein Kost tells Ernst that Herr Schultz is a Jew. Ernst warns Fräulein Schneider not to marry a Jew.
Act II
Fräulein Schneider is worried and she expresses her concern to her would be husband. As he is trying to console Fräulein Schneider somebody throws a brick into Herr Schultz's fruit shop. Disturbed by the events Fräulein Schneider cancels her engagement. Cliff and Sally ask her not do so but she asks them what should she do in such a situation. Sally and Cliff have an argument as Cliff wants to take her back to America and she wants to stay in Berlin. Sally gets an abortion and when Cliff gets to know about it, slaps her. He informs her that he is leaving for Paris and secretly hopes that she will join him. However Sally refuses and Cliff is heartbroken. On his way to Paris, Cliff starts writing his novel and sings ‘Willkommen'. The scene then shifts to the Klub where the Emcee is dressed in a Nazi uniform. Everyone sings and finally the lights go out.
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Show Biography - Cabaret
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Cabaret, a musical, which was initially called ‘Welcome to Berlin' is based on John Van Druten's play ‘I Am a Camera', which again was an adaptation of the novel ‘Mr. Norris Changes Trains' and an anthology of short stories, ‘Goodbye to Berlin' by Christopher Isherwood. The book for the popular musical is by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Fred Ebb and music by John Kander.
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For more information , enjoy the official homepage of Cabaret
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