Showing @ King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 26 Oct @ 19:30

Reality-show star-making machines have been a part of the Saturday night staple since Popstars spat out Hear’Say. That was 12 years ago. Now, it’s rare to find a touring musical without the names of a winner (or loser) of one incarnation of such shows attached to it; it’s a marketing tool that doesn’t necessarily correspond with quality. Rufus Norris’ sassy and classy revamp of Cabaret blows all such preconceptions out the water, with a cast fronted by popstar-turned-actor Will Young, winner of Pop Idol, and Siobhan Dillon, runner up in BBC’s How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

Set in Berlin in the early 30s, Cabaret follows the relationship between singer Sally Bowles (Dillon) and a young American novelist, Cliff (Matt Rawle), who share a bedsit together in the city. With the Nazis support increasing and Hitler’s hold on the country tightening, Cabaret is a thrilling – and at points, chilling – story of politics, power, identity and love.

Norris – who was recently announced as the new Artistic Director of the National Theatre – has infused the traditional cabaret style with powerful political imagery and symbolism, which shreds any superficiality that may appear in bigger numbers. Young’s Emcee opens the show with bold and bubbly Willkommen, starting as he duly carries on; he is effortlessly funny, indulging in every moment on stage, he owns the role. Dillon’s Sally is as strong as she is vulnerable, charming in her own bleak way, nailing each and every number and culminating in an emotionally charged delivery of the title track. The live band are on stage throughout, adding to the already vivacious Kit Kat club scenes; the ensemble are slick and the design is seductive and sleek. Reality shows are dull, predictable and churn out as much rubbish as they do genuine talent. Take a leaf out of Sally’s book – come hear the music play. You might just enjoy it.

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