This is such a unique version because all the other Sally's online have been dressed in a state, makeup smeared and the song is sung like someone in the throws of a colossal mental breakdown. Emma's version is collected and prim and proper with a plastered fake smile of someone trying their best to keep it together and I enjoy the subtlety of her struggling to get through the song while trying to keep her composure. I enjoy the rabid, feral take on this song most do but I really appreciate the inner struggle Emma's version seems to be having with herself in her portrayal of Sally
I wonder if it's that she's a film actress and is accustomed to acting with subtlety and nuance, as opposed to stage acting where everything is typically done "big" so the audience can see it from a distance.
Interesting- somewhere between and encompassing both the high pitched whinge Natasha Richardson used, and the low, masculine tone of Jane Horrocks, both fine interpreters of this. And the combination works just as well as either to capture Sally's limited talents and personal desperation.
For a two time Oscar winner that was the worst performance I ever seen of this song. She was so focused on sounding good and stying on pitch (which she failed at) over actually acting. Susan Egan was in the role before her and her performance is how this role should be done. Stick to movies emma
her character is not supposed to be a good singer, so I think she did a fantastic job. She's only supposed to sing well when she's not "performing at the cabaret."
How does she not act the shit out of this? She us so focused on sounding good she forgot to act. This js the blandest performance of this song ive ver seen. Especially in this revival when Natasha, Gina and Susan did such insanely grounded and enotional performances. This was way too calculated. No emaotion at all. It was note by note and direction by cldirection. Nothing felt organic or true to the character. These people gave her a standing ovation because she is Emma Stone. That was a bad, emotionally devoid performance. Stop applauding the most mediocre thing youve ever seen just because if the name. If a big name star doesnt deliver stay seated and give them the gulf clap they deserve. This was bad.
If you think her performance is emotionally devoid, perhaps her performance was TOO good! While a lot of actresses scream through this song to outwardly show Sally's turnoil (and understandably so!), Emma's performance is very much an internal struggle. She's not at all forgetting to act, it's just that her acting is more subtle. You can visibly see her Sally trying hard to look put together and not in anguish, nothing showing this better than the pause after "the day she died.." and the way she takes a moment to not let her emotions get the better of her. You can see her smile looks strained throughout the entirety of the number and there are several moments where her vocals show the emotions Sally is going through. Her take isn't bad, or lacking emotion, it's just a subtler take. She's trying to appear happy and content, and if her performance is too lacking in emotion, then she's doing something right!
I was fortunate to see her perform. At the end of Cabaret, she was gone and started yelling at us. It was so raw and disturbing. We collectively lost our bleep. Standing O! 👏👏👏👏
the touch of her throwing the mic to the ground is so perfect. not only does it encapsulate the breakdown portrayed by this number, but also tributes Natasha Richardson
It was literally in the direction from the original production... Every Sally did that because that was the direction... Don't laud this performance for something so basic. 😊
Jesus. That was legitimately terrifying by the end. Goes to show Stone’s amazing talent; she’s dolled up properly and smiling, and still makes it utterly clear that this is a woman in the throes of a complete breakdown.
I love how many amazing spins on Sally you can find on RU-vid. For me, Emma Stone's version is remarkable for making her vulnerable. The way she drifts off at 1:50 and is dragged back into her horrible life by the band at 3:30 is acted amazingly. Sally's moment of shock and irritation when the music picks up is stunning.
I like that they made her look beautiful, yet you see inner turmoil via facial expressions, gestures, and body language. It shows the inner reality, but also that she’s choosing the outer fantasy which is what the original 1967 staging communicates at the end. What I didn’t notice until I saw this performance was how disjointed the music was within the song, as if the music is mimicking her downward spiral. Emma uses this disjointed-ness to brilliant effect. Each pause she takes as subtle gesture and body language cues that show what’s really going on. You get a range of emotions from anger to pain to confusion to sadness to ultimately, I believe, acceptance of her fate. In his stories, Isherwood always meant Sally’s abortion to be a moment of truth - a turning point, if you will - where she completely embraces the fantasy world and persona she creates for herself. It’s quite nihilistic if you think about it.
I didn’t know Emma Stone did Broadway! This is an incredible performance!! She really has come so far in doing so much acting work; both onscreen and on stage. 👏👏👏
She prob won’t do it much in the future, she talked about how difficult it was for her and she doesn’t know how others can handle it. It’s a different type of work than film.
Jane Horrocks' performance captures that element of the Sally Bowles character well. Sally is meant to be a fairly talentless, very unhappy and damaged character - in short, totally unlike how she was portrayed by Liza.
@@Ali-Bea stop ripping on Liza! Source material is allowed to be reimagined! Within the retelling of the film version - which was utterly genius in its own right by the way(!) - it completely made sense aswell! No need to put Liza down in order to praise Emma either, they both did Sally justice in their own, unique ways!☆☆
@@Ali-Bea Speaking as someone who had ONLY known Minelli's Sally from the film, growing up and into most of my adulthood, I absolutely love what she does in the film. No, it's not the character as written by Isherwood or in the stage version, but I love it, as her pain, vulnerability and fear of loneliness comes through in a million ways in that performance. The only real difference is that in the film version, she has talent.
JFC, just when I think I've seen every bit of talent Stone has, something else shows up to blow me away. That woman is just incredible. And that is a BRILLIANT interpretation of that song in emotional stages. Good Lord.
What I love about sally, and this scene is there are so many ways to play it. Is she already breaking down? Or does she start during the performance? At which point? Or is she breaking down from the very beginning and by the end is she is a manic mess?
This interpretation to me, seems the most realistic as per how it would have been handled in real life by the singer. The ones who do the angry yelling version to me, do not seem realistic but instead it's a reflection of how we feel long after the fact. And besides that, this actress gets all of that anger in there in the last 2 or 3 measures, so it's brilliant.
Magnificent performance. She’s to talented. My fave performance of this song is by Amy Lennox (it’s on RU-vid). That one really punches you in the gut. I highly recommend any musical theatre fan check it out. It’s a masterclass.
Just watched Amy’s take. I got to see Emma perform. She looked lost and unhinged. She started screaming at the end. So raw!!! The force of her performance could be felt.
She actually got her Oscar-winning role in "La La Land" thanks to her run on Cabaret! Apparently Damien Chazelle happened to see her on one of her performances.
Not a great vocalist. But then, Sally Bowles never was a great vocalist (according to the descriptions of the character from the novel). Good job, Emma!
The true test of a "Sally Bowles" is the contrast between the "on-stage" numbers, and the "real life" songs of the play- the on-stage numbers should be infantile and overdone, and the "real" songs like "Perfectly Marvelous" and "Maybe This Time" should be beautifully sung.
30s Berlin cabaret of libertines sold a lot of sexuality, sensuality, not as much the "grotesquely happy clown". Emma's toolkit has proven enormously versatile outside of Broadway workhorses.
I’m so looking forward to see the new revival (finally) but her take on Sally will forever be my favorite. Girl took the material and made it her own. Amazing ❤
Just a bit off-topic, but would the uploader of this video happen to have the full 2013 Mystery of Edwin Drood recording? I have some videos I'm willing to trade if necessary! Thanks :)
A lot of productions imply that the Emcee is taking heroin by the time of this number, which is why he seems so disorientated. I can't tell from this video but Alan has had bruises on his arms in some productions to drive home this point.
What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play Life is a cabaret, old chum Come to the cabaret Put down the knitting, the book and the broom It's time for a holiday Life is a cabaret, old chum Come to the cabaret Come taste the wine Come hear the band Come blow your horn, start celebrating Right this way, your table's waiting What good's permitting some prophet of doom To wipe every smile away? Life is a cabaret, old chum So come to the cabaret I used to have this girlfriend known as Elsie With whom I shared four sordid rooms in Chelsea She wasn't what you'd call a blushing flower As a matter of fact, she rented by the hour The day she died the neighbors came to snicker: "Well, that's what comes from too much pills and liquor" But when I saw her laid out like a queen She was the happiest corpse I'd ever seen I think of Elsie to this very day I remember how she'd turn to me and say: "What good is sitting all alone in your room? Come hear the music play Life is a cabaret, old chum Come to the cabaret!"And as for me, ha, and as for me I made my mind up back in Chelsea When I go I'm going like Elsie Start by admitting from cradle to tomb It isn't that long a stay Life is a cabaret, old chum It's only a cabaret, old chum And I love a cabaret
To be quite honest, i have not seen Cabaret so i have no context going into this, but following a bit of lyrics and her performance, it made it much clearer the poor girl portrayed wanted to die in glory, something she can achieve and control by using and doing drugs. Gave me much more motivation to listen to the entire soundtrack 😂
yeah she’s not because she’s emma stone… her own person… actors make the characters their own because it makes it more authentic. copying someone else’s interpretation of a role is just boring and unoriginal
It is! Like another commenter mentioned, in this production, the Emcee is implied to be taking drugs, and you can see him get more addicted throughout the show. Since this number is towards the end, you can see it’s especially bad. He wasn’t actually sick or high :)
Sally Bowles is supposed to be American. She sounds British. Well, nevermind, she sounds like she's trying to do that weird mid-continet accent that entertainers used to do back in the '30s. She's not doing it well, i guess it fits for that character.
Because Sally Bowles is having nervous break down at this point. Hitler is coming into power, her life and lives of everyone in KitKat Klub is coming to the end, and she knows it.
Sorta manic and erratic. All over the place. Straight for the crazy side of Sally. Really, Liza's witty, sharp but still truly sad Sally seem like better choices. Liza's was nuanced and understated (and delivered with um...better musical showmanship) compared to this! But, didn't see the whole show, so there's that. I have heard that it's fun to watch various renditions of the character, so maybe in the greater context of the entire production Emma's performance made more sense.
@@tishcarter3918 She was a cabaret singer, not so much a musician. And no I think Liza's Sally was up to the job. Ha ha. She didn't have the same pedigree that Liza the actress had however, and that was probably a big factor, I'll admit.
@@tamptman it’s terrible. This is Sally’s and I am telling you moment! She better be able to blow the roof off the place and move! No one wants to see Sinead O’Connor as Sally Bowles!
Might be alone here but......what? For starters Alan Cumming`s characterization., weird out of context and I'm sorry, Emma's singing isn't great, it seems rushed
that's kind of the point though, isn't it? this is a play, they're meant to present their character. sally bowles is a decent vocalist at best. she's meant to be mediocre, that's why in multiple stage productions, the person who plays sally sounds mediocre at best, because they do that on purpose to sell the character they're playing. liza's version may be gorgeous and technically well done, but character wise? it doesn't sell it as well as other productions in my opinion, especially with this song, which is supposed to be showing sally at her lowest.
