How do the cabaret songs and routines comment on the social issues which are the background?
Uploaded by jussie on Oct 30, 2002
Bob Fosse uses the songs and routines as artful tools of social commentary, forming the background of Cabaret. By using a musical this gives Fosse the power to choose how the music is incorporated into the events occurring outside the Kit Kat Klub. Cabaret contains an odd display of humanity and is symbolically located underground. The artists perform to us as well as to the array of Berlin’s society present in the crowd; escapists of the world outside “leave your troubles outside, in here life is beautiful.” The songs and routines both unfold and for tell the world of Berlin in 1931.
As the camera moves from the distorted mirror to the peculiar masked face of the Master of Ceremonies (Joel Grey) it is essential to note that it is through the MC himself that we establish our initial identifications: the relationship with Brian (Michael York) is secondary, even though he is leading man. As is the audience, the MC is an observer criticizing the world of Berlin. The establishment of Sally (Liza Minelli) the leading lady, is also set forward in the opening routine, her character is far from distinctive as she stands on the stage with the “Cabaret Girls” near the back of the stage, the audience may not realise that she even existed in the opening routine, as the audience of the Cabaret may not have.
The first song seen preformed by Sally entitled “Mein Heir’ suggests that Sally couldn’t keep a steady relationship and had many different lovers “ But I do what I can, step by step inch by inch, mile by mile, man by man” Sally also sings “A tiger is a tiger not a lamb Mein Herr” As Sally preforms on the stage of a near deserted Kit Kat Klub she sings passionately, and for the only time not exaggerating her sexuality. This indicates that Sally cannot be changed by the way that she goes from “man to man,” but we soon see that she can be changed when she falls in love with Brian, which is shown in her second performance ‘Maybe this time.’ In this song she sings about how unlucky she has been in love “Maybe this time I’ll be lucky, maybe this time he’ll stay.” And that she wants to have a stable relationship with someone (Brian) “Lady peaceful, lady happy that’s what I long to be.” This song shows...