Everything about Alan Cumming is compelling. It is so over the top you want to look away, but you can't. I would so love to see a movie of this cast's whole performance. Cumming is absolute genius.
My Uncle Frank was in Berlin all during WWII. I asked him what was it like. He said “ I was good looking, it was very decadent- I wish I had kept a journal.”
I think Joel Grey's interpretation fits the character better and that's how I see Emcee. This is great performance too but bit too different from the Emcee I Imagine, maybe I didn't like how sloppy he was dressed.
Exactly 💯 Alan Cumming masterfully portrayed an Emcee who was debauched, menacing, inticing, charming, morbidly humorous, alluring, chilling, and heartbreaking. He took us on a journey through one of the darkest times in history, which we must be careful to never repeat.. What an incredible artist!
Agreed! I saw the stage production for the first time last year and was amazed at how much it affected me and how different it was from the film! Incredible show
Apples and oranges, IMO. Joel Gray played more on the socialist/anti-capitalist satire aspect. And the doll/marionette-like movements resembled the movies and animation of the period. It also could be seen as commenting on the focus on mechanization, and the nihilism of the time. This is more like a live cabaret performance, possibly in a seedier part of town. Here, I think, the cracks in the veneer are more visible earlier. Besides strip-clubs or gentlemen's clubs, I'm not sure there's a modern equivalent.
I just saw this on Broadway, and it's utterly amazing how Alan has remained pretty much the same. The ad libs have changed a bit but his physical appearance is eerily unchanged. It was such a treat to finally see him in a role that he has very much put his own stamp on.
@@adambomb1553 I was extremely lucky, yes. I danced with him, too. I'm grateful for this video. Brings back amazing memories. He's so sweet and humble offstage.
@@valmacclinchy I'm sorry, I know you commented year ago but would you mind telling how this happened? How it happened that you danced with him? I'm very curious!
If you go to your phone settings and go to accessibility and then to audio and visual you can turn on mono audio to have both of your headphones with the same audio and it wont be just one ear anymore
I like how people will call him vulgar, but there's so many people laughing in the audience. They'll disapprove of such action in someone like themselves, or in someone they knew. But we love this behavior, in somebody else. It absolutely delights us. So honest in its vulgarity, so plain and loudly blatant.. We find him charming. A true comedian, pointing to things we must remain uncomfortable about and mocking or emulating it, without consequential reprimand. It's a truth we deny knowing. It's hard to always keep up the pretense of virtue.
Alyssa Ranola this was bawdy cabaret behavior entertainment it was meant to be racy and a bit vulgar to tease the audience back in the day see American vaudeville and burlesque and even older theater for the lower classes etc in Shakespeare times u are over thinking it
I 100% agree and you wrote exactly what I was thinking PERFECTLY! Anyway, that’s why we call things taboo. Pretty much everyone around the world loves things to do with pleasure/sex and things that are, “enticing, exotic, sexy, vulgar, edgy, dirty, kinky, etc.” with the truth right in your face. Every type of person has all different kinds of pleasures and sexual attractions... but society has made it so that it’s improper and not to be shown or talked about in public, even shamed in many parts of the world. The desire and lust for these things will never go away as long as human beings roam this planet. I never understood why sex and sexuality and kinks/pleasures are kept so secret and taboo. They are the most natural things in the world. Every species has sex, some animals even enjoy it like dolphins. Humans are just more advanced that we can explore so many more ways to turn us on and express our desires, pleasures, and sexualities and that should never be taboo. Also Alan Cumming is AMAZING!
lol yeah, definitely complicating things. i don't remember anyone calling Alan Cumming vulgar even so far back as my drama class in 1998 where my teacher showed his Tony's performance.
Wow. Now I get why he has been such a hit in this role in New York. When he plays the character on shows like the Tonight Show, he is so vanilla. Great to see him and the cast in their naughty New York element ...
The full version of the original London production of the revival is here on RUclips! Alan as Emcee, the brilliant Jane Horrocks as Sally. It’s not quite as dark and seedy as the broadway version but great quality recording ❤
Wow. Please if you are willing to expand your experience watching this (by watching this then I bet you have some anecdotes worth telling if you haven't. If you did Please forward me to it) share more if you can. I and many others like to know more about how living this live and living at that time impacted the people back then. It's just awesome.
Alan Cumming is an extraordinarily talented actor and performer. Those who know him exclusively from his work as Eli Gold on the television series, "The Good Wife" may not be aware of his versatility. He took the role that won Joel Grey an Oscar, and presented a new and critically acclaimed take on the character. He has also performed with Liza Minnelli.
I will never forget how incredible it was to see this live in an off Broadway production in college. It was thrilling, dirty, funny, sexy, sad, and a roaring good time all wrapped into one! I felt like the luckiest college drama kid in the world. Total Theater orgasm, lol!!
Just another amazing broadway actor who shows his astounding talent and passion to the world via song and incredible acting. Broadway brings such amazing talent!
Alan Cumming was just so damn captivating in this role. I throw on the soundtrack but 9/10 times I just end up pulling up the live recordings because seeing him encapsulate the character so perfectly makes it infinitely better.
I just noticed that around timestamp 4:56 through about 5:00, after Alan yells, 'Rawr!' He looks to laugh/smile. It makes me wonder if he just yelled that on the spot or if that was part of the bit. In any case, that was just something fun I noticed😂.
I saw the original stage production in London in the 1960s and the emcee was loathsome, as he was meant to be. The film was a whole different thing, although wonderful. To go back to the original stage version is always worthwhile because it is an exact portrayal of an era.
Alicia Allen I reckon it's because this is a recording of the actual live show, and Tony's was, well, a single number for television, and American tv at that, which is ridiculously "clean" and censured even after the watershed (not talking about cable) hence the act had to be toned down.
No, this clip is from the 1998 revival run . But I saw the show during the 2014 revival run and his performance was absolutely up to par with this clip. I really think he just must've been tired during the Tony's.
absolutely brilliant.........I'm a huge fan of the movie, but this is so much better. I'm a big fan of Will Young (who does the London West End version) I've not seen Will in the West End, but I don't see how he can be as good as this. This is brill.
The film changed a lot, but what they took out was replaced with Bob Fosse's gold. This new interpretation removes the icy, ruthless character created by Joel Gray and replaces it with a pub drag show. They've lost the plot with this show - because now the audiences are applauding Alan Cummings because they like Alan Cummings. They do the same with Eddie Redmayne. It ruins the show entirely.
This production takes decadence to new, previously unexplored depths. Just when you think it can't "go down" any further.... The original mid-1960s stage version, produced and directed by Harold Prince, was very daring for its time, but had absolutely nothing on this one. The Bob Fosse film of the 1970s starring Liza Minelli--who was to have played Sally on Broadway but was passed over for bizarre reasons in favor of Jill Hayworth--took things a step further, but cut all the "book" songs and shifted the emphasis to a different pair of supporting characters.
I LOVE the jokes about the Cabaret girls and boys. I wish they hadn't changed them since I feel like this is the funniest and most clever version, but I don't know the reasons for having them changed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
2:21 Knowing about his eating disorder gives some extra life to the emcee, makes him a more harrowing sight. It’s sickening but in that perfect Cabaret way.
The cosntantly positioning himself in a swatstica is genius, something that was used for many productions to come
THATS WHAT THAT WAS??? Well thank you now I'm going to rewatch the 1993 production
the bad quality of the video really makes them look terrifying and I love it
And the best part is that nobody knows who or when exactly this is recorded. The uploader just happens to have it...
I think this is how we were meant to see it
He was dressed completely wrong the original singer wore a tuxedo and white painted face and lipstick
This is how the song really sounds
ruclips.net/video/hBlB8RAJEEc/видео.htmlsi=8Dt_MBIwjXdG7s6i
@@karengarrow5579 Dawg that's just the movie- it can be preformed in different ways
I’d watch anything that included Alan Cumming but his Emcee is beyond a brilliant performance. His allure and charisma always leaves me wanting more.
Love Alan Cummings. Fabulous actor and intelligent person ❤❤❤
Everything about Alan Cumming is compelling. It is so over the top you want to look away, but you can't. I would so love to see a movie of this cast's whole performance. Cumming is absolute genius.
If you search RUclips there is the entire performance and it brilliant and heartbreaking.
There’s a proshot of his version on RUclips!
@@Ozloz the 1993 one, not the 1998 Broadway Revival in NYC
My Uncle Frank was in Berlin all during WWII. I asked him what was it like. He said “ I was good looking, it was very decadent- I wish I had kept a journal.”
Sounds like Frank had a splendid time!
The allies were bombing Berlin during WWII. Was your Uncle Frank German?
He wasn’t in Berlin all during WWII unless he was a prisoner, a German or a collaborator. Details matter.
Just inspired. I appreciate that this performance has become a standard, but nobody comes close to filling those suspenders like Alan did.
Anthony Toohey Even though Joel Grey is an absolute legend, I LOVE Alan Cummings as the Emcee.
Joel Grey and Alan Cumming are my favorite Emcees
I personally like Michael C Hall's voice better but that's just preference
Joel grey is at least equal to this
I think Joel Grey's interpretation fits the character better and that's how I see Emcee. This is great performance too but bit too different from the Emcee I Imagine, maybe I didn't like how sloppy he was dressed.
Yes, it is vulgar. The pre-Nazi Berlin cabarets WERE vulgar. This is such an improvement over the cleaned-up 1960s version in my opinion.
Exactly 💯
Alan Cumming masterfully portrayed an Emcee who was debauched, menacing, inticing, charming, morbidly humorous, alluring, chilling, and heartbreaking. He took us on a journey through one of the darkest times in history, which we must be careful to never repeat..
What an incredible artist!
Agreed! I saw the stage production for the first time last year and was amazed at how much it affected me and how different it was from the film! Incredible show
Apples and oranges, IMO. Joel Gray played more on the socialist/anti-capitalist satire aspect. And the doll/marionette-like movements resembled the movies and animation of the period. It also could be seen as commenting on the focus on mechanization, and the nihilism of the time.
This is more like a live cabaret performance, possibly in a seedier part of town. Here, I think, the cracks in the veneer are more visible earlier.
Besides strip-clubs or gentlemen's clubs, I'm not sure there's a modern equivalent.
His performance is amazing. It’s a masterpiece.
And they pretty much went right back to it in the 70s and 80s. They’re part of the reason the 80s style was so…80s
I love how the camera is zoomed in on emcee the whole time lol like no one else even on stage
I just saw this on Broadway, and it's utterly amazing how Alan has remained pretty much the same. The ad libs have changed a bit but his physical appearance is eerily unchanged. It was such a treat to finally see him in a role that he has very much put his own stamp on.
Very jealous! I would love to see Alan Cumming as Emcee. I just saw him sing sappy songs, which was great, if you get a chance go for it.
Yep same. I saw it live too.
The quality of this video clip made it look much dark & seedier.
That is the face of a man who is having the time of his life.
Alan's perfect for this role. I was lucky enough to experience it live.
@@valmacclinchy lucky!
@@adambomb1553 I was extremely lucky, yes. I danced with him, too. I'm grateful for this video. Brings back amazing memories.
He's so sweet and humble offstage.
@@valmacclinchy I'm sorry, I know you commented year ago but would you mind telling how this happened? How it happened that you danced with him? I'm very curious!
He had the freedom to chew up the scenery and steal the show! Most actors would have been thrilled!
My right ear feels lonely
hahahahha please help this is awful
Idk what you were talking about cuz I was listening with only the right AirPod and I heard it. I put on the left and the right one went out 😔
lmao i always have my right headphone propped off my ear so i didn't even notice, that's a nightmare lol
If you go to your phone settings and go to accessibility and then to audio and visual you can turn on mono audio to have both of your headphones with the same audio and it wont be just one ear anymore
@@nootcla you are a LIFESAVER
I like how people will call him vulgar, but there's so many people laughing in the audience. They'll disapprove of such action in someone like themselves, or in someone they knew.
But we love this behavior, in somebody else. It absolutely delights us. So honest in its vulgarity, so plain and loudly blatant..
We find him charming.
A true comedian, pointing to things we must remain uncomfortable about and mocking or emulating it, without consequential reprimand.
It's a truth we deny knowing. It's hard to always keep up the pretense of virtue.
Alyssa Ranola this was bawdy cabaret behavior entertainment it was meant to be racy and a bit vulgar to tease the audience back in the day see American vaudeville and burlesque and even older theater for the lower classes etc in Shakespeare times u are over thinking it
@ Frank N Furter was royalty but the Emcee is a god
I 100% agree and you wrote exactly what I was thinking PERFECTLY! Anyway, that’s why we call things taboo. Pretty much everyone around the world loves things to do with pleasure/sex and things that are, “enticing, exotic, sexy, vulgar, edgy, dirty, kinky, etc.” with the truth right in your face. Every type of person has all different kinds of pleasures and sexual attractions... but society has made it so that it’s improper and not to be shown or talked about in public, even shamed in many parts of the world. The desire and lust for these things will never go away as long as human beings roam this planet. I never understood why sex and sexuality and kinks/pleasures are kept so secret and taboo. They are the most natural things in the world. Every species has sex, some animals even enjoy it like dolphins. Humans are just more advanced that we can explore so many more ways to turn us on and express our desires, pleasures, and sexualities and that should never be taboo. Also Alan Cumming is AMAZING!
lol yeah, definitely complicating things. i don't remember anyone calling Alan Cumming vulgar even so far back as my drama class in 1998 where my teacher showed his Tony's performance.
É zzsw3568i
Wow. Now I get why he has been such a hit in this role in New York. When he plays the character on shows like the Tonight Show, he is so vanilla. Great to see him and the cast in their naughty New York element ...
Live theatre performances are ALWAYS more lively, whatever play is being done. Less censorship, for one.
ruclips.net/video/rPnXCPmrV3Y/видео.html
I imagine anything for television sorta has to...tone it down
I really wish there was a dvd of this version of the show available to buy.
Yes! Alan Cumming was the perfect Emcee.
The full version of the original London production of the revival is here on RUclips! Alan as Emcee, the brilliant Jane Horrocks as Sally. It’s not quite as dark and seedy as the broadway version but great quality recording ❤
Anything Alan Cumming performs in is ALWAYS worth watching! His performance here is mesmerizing
God he's fantastic. Terrifying, genuinely. One of the best musical theatre performances I have ever seen.
I consider myself lucky to have seen this on Broadway at Studio 54. It was disturbing, and edgy and wonderful. The ending was life-changing.
Completely agree. Alan Cumming was truly mesmerizing and made this role his own!
Wow. Please if you are willing to expand your experience watching this (by watching this then I bet you have some anecdotes worth telling if you haven't. If you did Please forward me to it) share more if you can. I and many others like to know more about how living this live and living at that time impacted the people back then. It's just awesome.
No one did this role better than Alan!
Joel Gray...who never did anything as good as this.
Alan Cumming is an extraordinarily talented actor and performer. Those who know him exclusively from his work as Eli Gold on the television series, "The Good Wife" may not be aware of his versatility. He took the role that won Joel Grey an Oscar, and presented a new and critically acclaimed take on the character. He has also performed with Liza Minnelli.
Don't remember knowing anything about him before he played Eli, and the more I read the more fascinated I was.
I like him for his stance on supporting Scottish independence.
I will never forget how incredible it was to see this live in an off Broadway production in college. It was thrilling, dirty, funny, sexy, sad, and a roaring good time all wrapped into one! I felt like the luckiest college drama kid in the world. Total Theater orgasm, lol!!
He's having so much fun and he's just a joy to watch. He's by far my favorite Emcee, all due respect to Joel Grey
Well, the character is supposed to be a sleazy nightclub MC. I'd say Cumming pretty much nails it.
Acgogo Acgogo in the 1930’s germany.. nsm
And he’s still charming as hell
@@airhead_heiress739hell yeah, he was masterful in this role!
JUST saw him in this two weekends ago.... absolutely captivating. And still dead sexy at 50!!!!
Willkommen alle zum zweiten Kommen des Kabaretts. Möge unser Aufenthalt uns hungrig, gebrechlich und dünn zurücklassen. Du hast uns hierher gebracht
アランがこのミュージカルのスタンダードを作ったんじゃないかなと思ってる。
もっと早く生まれたかった。この舞台を自分の目で見たかったな。
Left ear enjoyed this thoroughly. Bravo 👏
😂😂😂 I've been adjusting my headphones thinking it was that but I'll take it any day. I see another one YT has coming up next.
Just another amazing broadway actor who shows his astounding talent and passion to the world via song and incredible acting. Broadway brings such amazing talent!
Alan Cummings just chews this part up!!! Unbelievable! I can die happy, haha!
I LOVE Alan Cumming! What a talent!
It's cool to watch him in 1993 and then watch him in this...he's a lot more manly and raunchy in this and he was a little more cutesy in 1993.
Alan Cumming was just so damn captivating in this role. I throw on the soundtrack but 9/10 times I just end up pulling up the live recordings because seeing him encapsulate the character so perfectly makes it infinitely better.
I want this played at my funeral.
Best comment 🏆
I want the song called Cabaret, you know "I used to have this girlfriend known as Elsie..."
This is deliciously raunchy, and Allen is brilliant!
Alan Cumming is incredible and so was Joel Grey. They are both incredible performances and completely different!
He should just play this role for the rest of his life. He was AMAZING!!! I am so grateful to have seen him in person perform this.
Bisexual icon
Kind of like he was born for this part
Kate Hartigan ikr, so amazing!
I want to be this character
@@kitcat8716 thisss
How about just, "icon?"
This looks like it was filmed in ww2
It's not a coincidence. Go read about it.
That’s the idea lol
Alan is such a good actor!! Love him on Good Wife too!!
I've watched this and the end so many times! I see something new everytime!
I just noticed that around timestamp 4:56 through about 5:00, after Alan yells, 'Rawr!' He looks to laugh/smile. It makes me wonder if he just yelled that on the spot or if that was part of the bit. In any case, that was just something fun I noticed😂.
Why no one has thought of producing a DVD of this musical with Alan?
"That ones Victor!"
I love how versatile Alan Cummings is. Between this and being willing to be painted blue and have fur.
I saw the original stage production in London in the 1960s and the emcee was loathsome, as he was meant to be. The film was a whole different thing, although wonderful. To go back to the original stage version is always worthwhile because it is an exact portrayal of an era.
He’s sublime.
Saw this in person. Alan was so mesmerizing.
this man made this role.......
HAHAHA ive never seen the emcee look through the little box at the very beginning thats great 0:01
Mr. Cumming was certainly on fire for this performance, far better than his recent subdued interpretation on the 2014 Tonys broadcast.
Timothy Cicirella i was thinking the same. maybe it's just because he got older and less spry?
Alicia Allen I reckon it's because this is a recording of the actual live show, and Tony's was, well, a single number for television, and American tv at that, which is ridiculously "clean" and censured even after the watershed (not talking about cable) hence the act had to be toned down.
I'm pretty sure this clip is from the 2014 Broadway revival. The Tony Awards, he may have just been tired.
Timothy Cicirella He had to tone it down a bit for TV.
No, this clip is from the 1998 revival run . But I saw the show during the 2014 revival run and his performance was absolutely up to par with this clip. I really think he just must've been tired during the Tony's.
IMO.. There is only one MC and its Alan Cumming. He is outstanding, plus being a fellow Scot makes me extremely proud ..
Iconic. Simply iconic.
O, now I'd give anything to get a DVD of this...
Even after all this time,his dimples still get me!
the fact I'll never be able to see a full 98 performance kills me omg
if you’re ever in new york there’s a library that you can request for the full 98 recording
@@lottieduncan07which library is it?
Oh, my goodness...( perhaps not the right word! ) what a magnificent tour de force! It couldn't be bettered.
absolutely brilliant.........I'm a huge fan of the movie, but this is so much better. I'm a big fan of Will Young (who does the London West End version) I've not seen Will in the West End, but I don't see how he can be as good as this. This is brill.
The film changed a lot, but what they took out was replaced with Bob Fosse's gold. This new interpretation removes the icy, ruthless character created by Joel Gray and replaces it with a pub drag show. They've lost the plot with this show - because now the audiences are applauding Alan Cummings because they like Alan Cummings. They do the same with Eddie Redmayne. It ruins the show entirely.
So this is what Eli Gold does on his days off LoL Excellent video - thx for posting! Cheers.
I love the way he says and gentlemen...
This production takes decadence to new, previously unexplored depths. Just when you think it can't "go down" any further.... The original mid-1960s stage version, produced and directed by Harold Prince, was very daring for its time, but had absolutely nothing on this one. The Bob Fosse film of the 1970s starring Liza Minelli--who was to have played Sally on Broadway but was passed over for bizarre reasons in favor of Jill Hayworth--took things a step further, but cut all the "book" songs and shifted the emphasis to a different pair of supporting characters.
brilliant choreography
an absolute legend.
normally id complain about focusing on one person.... buuuuut
🎵you are the only exception 🎶
Honestly im so used to your video quality that i saw a high quality image of this show and was horrified
The actual mc the show is based on must have really been like this back then.
Alam cumming is astounding in everything he does
This really is terrifying- I love it
How is it that this is the clearest video I can find, and it was uploaded ten years ago🤣
He is magnificent ❤
Alan performed this on Jimmy Fallon last week. It was awesome!!!
favourite performance :)
he is the best emcee, by far
He IS the Emcee..period.
he has just got that walk down pat!
What a performer.
Someone walks into the wrong show and sees this as the opening number-
I love Alan Cumming.
I want to be in the Kit Kat Club. The closest I ever got was a 3 night shoot as an extra in the nightclub scene in the film Bent
Super!❤️🔥
I love him as the Emcee, scottish legend
Amazing.
The best!!!!
I like how there's differences to his 1993 performance. A new interpretation
Vulgar? No, sinister. Unless you think Nazi Germany is only vulgar.
This camera makes their faces looked fucked
Love LOVE!!! LOVE!!!!!! Alan, but why is he so bruised?
I LOVE the jokes about the Cabaret girls and boys. I wish they hadn't changed them since I feel like this is the funniest and most clever version, but I don't know the reasons for having them changed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
adoro
2:17 ohhh man...
Oh hell yeah.. I was there in person. Perfection.
Eccezionale
This looks like a lost tape
I think in life I'm frenchie.
Nope sorry it was 1987 how could I forget that moment in history priceless
My dream is to be n a polyamourous relationship with that man...and whoever he wants!
The Cabaret revival with Alan Cumming was 1998.
Istrionico, inquietante, insano, inimitabile...
idk how i got here but im not complaining
My college is performing Cabaret the broadway revival version on Friday I’m not in that show I’m doing costumes
Спасибо 💐💐
Alan once added me, on fb, for no reason at all.
Best - that all !
2:21 Knowing about his eating disorder gives some extra life to the emcee, makes him a more harrowing sight. It’s sickening but in that perfect Cabaret way.