Judi Dench in CABARET (1968, London)

[@JamesLeaveyConnections]

I was employed to work backstage on this great debut West End production during that boiling hot summer when London's theatres and cinemas were virtually empty cos they had no air conditioning. One matinee, there were more people on stage than in the audience. But the cast gave their usual excellent performance. My job, aside from shifting sets, was to stand behind the scenery with a box of matches and light Judi's cigarettes. That's when I saw her hugging her husband, Michael Williams. They were a lovely couple and I tried not to intrude. Judi was so nice. I've never forgotten. Years later my pal and fellow cigar lover Jonathan James Moore head of BBC Radio Comedy asked me to introduce him to my cartoonist friend and co-writer, Frank Dickens, creator of the famous Bristow cartoon strips. It resulted in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom, Bristow, starring Judi's husband, Michael Williams. Small world!😎😷❤🎶 PS I successful launched my first travel book, The FOREST Guide to Smoking in London, to global acclaim in 1996. A few years ago I won the International Cigar Writer of the Year award. Didn't think working with Judi would spark off a career travelling around the world trying not to set fire to it. No, I am not making this up. By the way, the London production's Master of Ceremonies was the gifted American actor, Barry Dennen, who personally welcomed me to the show and shook my hand. It was a kind thing to do. Thanks, Barry. R.I.P. I never forget a kindness. This world needs more of it.

[@melizmatea]

I love hearing stories like that!

[@QuantumChanti]

Thanks so much for sharing xx

[@M.M.424]

Fascinating

[@JaJaM.C.]

Barry Dennen was a true gem.

[@psychokarloff]

Barry Dennen helped shape Streisand's style, makeup and hair, as well as her cabaret act at the beginning of her career.

[@chookaschookas444]

Dame Judi - perfection as an actress. Her vocal limitations are perfect for Sally. She has done a few other musical. Good Companions, A little Night Music, Merry wives of Windsor (I think). Thanks for fixing up the musical braks. 🎶🎵 😘

[@corriepitt7630]

Sally Bowles was a second- or third-tier performer in a seedy entre-guerre Berlin. A great singing voice was not part of Sally‘s story. Judy Dench is absolutely perfect as that sad, never-destined-for-success performer best suited to cavort around the stage without most of her „respectable“ clothes. Singing snobs, put down your snark. This is a correct reading and a stellar performance. Shame there is not more of it to be seen.

[@treesny]

She really captures the character incredibly! Glad we have this bit of her performance, and the audio-only London cast album of course. Not to mention the fact that she recorded Fraulein Schneider's songs years later (opposite lyricist Fred Ebb).

[@OutFMWBAI]

YES. I always thought Liza was all wrong for Sally since Liza is the human embodiment of talent and showbiz razzle dazzle, whereas Sally is supposed to be all charisma, very little raw singing/dancing talent.

[@rackmasterh]

No sane person goes to Cabaret to see a mediocre singer.

[@rackmasterh]

@@corriepitt7630 anyone who has seen the movie Cabaret thinks exactly as I do. There's a reason non singers don't do this anymore.

[@rackmasterh]

@@corriepitt7630 except that no one wants to see that anymore and haven't for decades. The Densch Cabaret got great reviews but played to a largely empty theater, btw. The Fosse movie redefined the play forever. And to think that Densch almost got the female lead in the West End production of Cats! A musical redeemed by exactly one song, which she couldn't do. Luckily for her, it was almost.

[@oliver91ist]

Perfectly in sync, it’s rare to get footage of Cabaret’s original run.

[@eliseo.bazan13]

This came out 1968 on london the original cabaret was in 1966 on Broadway

[@TheMisanri]

​@@eliseo.bazan13 the info I was looking for. Thanks!

[@nmuphelps1]

I was lucky enough to see this production - SUPERB!!!

[@jamesjohnson8004]

The sensational Judi. the shock and horror that the great Shakespearean actress should plummet to show business was unbelievable. But she rocked it and became the ticket everyone wanted. Never better

[@davidbonfiglio5163]

I'm sorry, are you saying that Cabaret is a "plummet" from Shakespeare? I think any actress who played Sally Bowles, one of the most difficult and complicated roles in musical theater would disagree. If I misinterpreted your comment, I apologize.

[@rackmasterh]

Actually, that run closed early and and had poor attendance.

[@chrysalissartorious7648]

@@rackmasterh People's taste resides in a lower hole.

[@UglowD]

​@rackmasterh it ran for 336 performances. It didn't close early.

[@norishimojima7694]

I saw that very performance back in 1968!

[@kellyalves756]

Dayum, Dame Judy! 😃 She’s got a fierce voice!

[@bookwoman53]

I heard that Judi was cast as the original Grizabella in Cats. She had some type of injury and left. Elaine Paige took her place.

[@isabellaglanger6710]

She's fabulous!

[@barkingtree88]

Her growl is addicting...

[@kellyalves756]

Amen!

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

My parents saw her performance and loved it.

[@that1theatreguy]

I really can't not point out how quickly Judi wipes off her smile at the finish. l joke to myself its because of the poor applause. Which I assume is because of the mentioned vacant theatrical summer. But nevertheless, Judi is by far my favorite Sally now. Well aside from the original creator of the character/role Julie Harris.

[@treesny]

Julie Harris starred in the source play I Am a Camera by John van Druten, NOT in Cabaret.

[@marybethprondzinski3614]

Jill Haworth ORIGINATED the role of Sally Bowles on Broadway in 1966.

[@rackmasterh]

@@marybethprondzinski3614 and she got poor reviews (the only ones of the cast), just as Dench did for this production. It was widely thought that her career might be damaged they were so bad. (Kander has been quoted as saying so. He's still with us, 98 I believe.

[@backwardmen8090]

Wow! She's great!

[@JamesJohnson-dy1em]

It closed for political reasons by Emile Litler who rented the dark theatre out while his productions were on preview. He made Keith Prowse, the ticket agent, to paper the house.

[@__hjg__2123]

omg... I didn't know Judy could sing....... oh........

[@mappingoutthesky]

Omg! You should watch her performance of Send in the clowns! It's insanely moving.

[@paulybarr]

She can’t sing. Which is why she was perfect casting for Sally Bowles, who was based on a second- rate young woman in a Berlin nightclub.

[@austingwatson]

apparently she didn’t either

[@treesny]

@@paulybarr Judi Dench doesn't have a "singer's voice," but as this and her performance in A Little Night Music (and also as Fr. Schneider in the much later studio recording of Cabaret) show, she is extremely musical. She succeeds here as Sally Bowles because she captures exactly the stage mannerisms of an upper-class young woman who is somwhat wooden and mechanical in her performing... really tricky to bring off! In the same way that a brilliant comic actress like Patricia Routledge, a trained singer, can portray a really dreadful amateur singer, Judi Dench, that most human and moving of actors can show us someone of much more limited talent, and do it wittily. She is fantastic in the entire role on the Original London Cast album of Cabaret.

[@rugby8-Philadelphia]

​@@paulybarr Untrue/rude statement. She demonstrated in this video she *can* sing - and with her subsequent musical roles. A classical voice? No. You are correct that Sally was written by Isherwood as a second-rate performer. 😎😎😎

[@execelsior999]

Judy Dench was the best Sally Bowles.

[@ΙωαννηςΜπαβας-κ9θ]

utube John Bavas -CABARET

[@annemccarron2281]

Judi Dench is great, however being American, I don't think anyone can top Liza Minellli. I think Liza was even more talented than her mother. She inherited some fantastic Gene's! He looks and even her name are fascinating!

[@KingRich616]

The thing about Sally Bowles is that she's not supposed to be as good as Liza Minelli

[@rackmasterh]

@@KingRich616 turns out that is EXACTLY wrong: Kander and Ebb wrote the role FOR Liza MInelli! and wrote two NEW numbers for her for the movie.

[@rugby8-Philadelphia]

@@rackmasterh No Not true. Yes, they wrote new material for the Movie ---- Directed/Conceived by Bob Fosse, who had a completely Different view/intention. Fact.

[@treesny]

@@rugby8-Philadelphia "Maybe This Time" wasn't a new number; Kander & Ebb had written it quite a bit earlier for Minnelli.

[@rugby8-Philadelphia]

​@@treesny They wrote new material for the film

[@austingwatson]

cool