"Gluklich zu sehen, Je suis enchante, Happy to see you. Bleibe, Reste, Stay."*

Last night, a bunch of friends (JR & Sauce included) went to go see Cabaret at the A.R.T., starring Boston musician Amanda Palmer. It is difficult for me to think of that show without thinking of actor Alan Cumming, who played the role of the Emcee in the 1998 London/Broadway revival of the show. I never actually saw him in the part, but I have the soundtrack from that production and that is how I got to know the music from the show.

Alan Cumming came up in conversation between Sister K and I when we were in Ireland because the first time I ever saw him was in the film Circle of Friends, where he played the wonderfully slimy Sean Walsh. He was just the most wonderful guy you loved to HATE, and you couldn't wait for Minnie Driver to expose him for the "double entry system" lout we all knew him to be! For me, he was the most memorable actor in the film. (It wasn't until MUCH later that I realized Colin Firth was even in it!)

Of course, now he is the perfect charming and wonderful host of Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. (He always looks like he is trying not to smirk at the audience because he has a dirty little secret.) But it is worth it to check out his performance in Cabaret in this You Tube clip. It really is an amazing performance, and a LONG WAY from the slimy Sean Walsh.

* lyric from "Wilkommen" from Kander and Ebb's Cabaret