This ‘Cabaret’ is ‘absolutely bittersweet’; a backstage look at 7 Ages’ final show in Brandon

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This article was published 12/01/2018 (3039 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the hour before showtime on opening night of “Cabaret,” backstage was buzzing with a nervous excitement.

Actors were in and out of dressing rooms at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium, getting their hair and makeup done before getting into costume and warming up their voices.

“Chaos,” is how a smiling Erin Poole described it. “There’s people running all over the place, we’ve got people with curlers in their hair … making final adjustments to costumes. So it’s chaos, but it is so, so much fun.”

“Cabaret” marks 7 Ages Productions’ 52nd and final show in Brandon. Founder and artistic director George Buri is moving to Winnipeg later this year.

As the cast got ready to take the stage, they tried to keep their thoughts focused on the show, rather than the fact it is the final production.

“It’s absolutely bittersweet,” said Poole, who plays Kit Kat girl Helga. “I think we all kind of feel that way. We really want to make it the best one yet, but at the same time we really have to make sure that we’re focusing only on the shows right now because Sunday night, is going to be a rough one for a lot of us, I think.”

Andrew Mok, who plays Victor, one of the Kit Kat boys, has been involved with 7 Ages since 2009.

“It gets me excited to be able to entertain people, to help bring a story to life in front of them,” he said.

He described the nervous excitement he felt in the moments before taking the stage.

“It’s exciting because I’m ready to share a story with everyone, but nervous at the same time because we want to be able to do it right, we want to be able to give the audience our best and give them the best experience possible.”

Tyson Tame, who plays the Customs Official and Max, said he “can’t wait to get going but sort of never want it to end.”

Tame said Buri’s direction is professional and passionate.

“He keeps pushing you, you don’t get a lot of accolades through the process but then this week, he takes on a totally different vibe,” he said. “Very encouraging and loving and just a special, special guy.”

Thirty minutes before the show begins, Buri gathers the entire cast in a circle. He gives them final notes and advice.

“If I go to see a show and it’s really good, it brings me to tears — not just the story, but the way it’s performed,” he said. He tells the cast, the only way to achieve greatness is through hard work.

“You’ve worked at it … it’s all there, all pieces are in place,” he said. “The greatness within you, with all of you working together … comes from the effort you put into your part every day … going over it in your head and then performing it with your full energy on the stage … That’s what you’ve been doing.”

With minutes till showtime, Buri sends the cast on their way, “use your energy and use your focus and be great tonight.”

“Cabaret” is set in 1930s Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power. The story follows British cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Brett Cline) as she meets American writer Clifford Bradshaw (Cam Tataryn), who is trying to finish his novel. The pair become lovers, but the arrival of the “wealthy and decadent playboy” Ernst Ludwig (Colin Evans) complicates matters for them both.

This love triangle plays out against the rise of the Nazi party and the collapse of the Weimar Republic. At the seedy Kit Kat Klub, Sally is the feature attraction along with the Emcee (Kenneth Jackson/Jeremy Lancaster) and the Kit Kat boys and girls.

The next show is 7:30 p.m. tonight, and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the WMCA box office.

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