Eddie Redmayne had never seen “Cabaret” when, as a 15-year-old student at Eton, he was first cast as the Emcee, the indecorous impresario of the bawdy Berlin nightclub where the musical is set.
So Redmayne did what anyone wondering about the character would do: He watched the 1972 film, and studied Joel Grey’s performance.
Redmayne, 42, has played the Emcee three more times — at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe following high school; in London’s West End, winning an Olivier Award in 2022; and now on Broadway, where he has just picked up a Tony nomination.
Redmayne had never met Grey, who originated the role on Broadway in 1966 and who went on to win both Tony and Academy Awards as the Emcee.
So I asked them to lunch, to talk about a character both have played several times, and about a musical that has continued to move audiences.
Persons:
Eddie Redmayne, Redmayne, Joel Grey’s, ”, Kat Club, Grey
Organizations:
Eton, Edinburgh, Broadway, Tony
Locations:
Berlin, London’s, American, British