Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley tipped to star in West End production of CABARET

Money makes the world go round… and so does hot-of-the-press Cabaret news!

If you’re a fan of the iconic 1966 Broadway musical, you may just want to purchase a ticket to London for the latest revival to hit the West End stage. According to The Daily Mail, The Theory of Everything star Eddie Redmayne has been tapped to fill the devilish shoes of Emcee, while Jessie Buckley (notable for her leading role in Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things) is in line to play musical theatre’s favourite heroine Sally Bowles. This new adaptation is set to make its bow at the West End’s Playhouse Theatre.

For those who are unfamiliar with the musical, Cabaret is set in 1930s Berlin as the Nazis claim more and more power in Germany. The story singles on the seedy yet colourful Kit Kat Klub, focusing on the performers and clientele as they attempt to survive in a country slowly losing its sense of humanity. Cabaret is based on John Van Druten’s 1951 masterpiece of theatre I Am a Camera, which was in turn adapted from the semi-autobiographical novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood.

The musical premiered on Broadway in 1966, going on to win eight Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Musical. There have been several revivals since the musical’s inception, both In New York and London. The most recent Broadway adaptation saw Alan Cumming win a Tony for his knockout performance as Emcee, while Michelle Williams starred as Sally Bowles.

There was also a 1972 movie based on the musical starring the queen of Broadway Liza Minelli, as well as Joel Gray (who took his role as Emcee from stage to screen) and Michael York. The movie won eight Oscars, including Best Actress for Minelli and Best Supporting Actor for Joel Gray.

Eddie Redmayne is no stranger to the world of theatre. In 2010, he won a Tony Award for his Broadway debut in John Logan’s intimate play Red. He was also nominated for two Oscars for his work on The Theory of Everything (for which he also won) and The Danish Girl. He rose to prominence following his turn as Marius Pontmercy in Tom Hooper’s on-screen adaptation of Les Misérables. In addition, he also plays the lead wizard Newt Scamander in J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Jessie Buckley is an actress whose star is definitely on the rise in the world of entertainment. She recently starred as Juliet in the National Theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet. She also appeared in the West End production of A Little Night Music. You may also recognise her from the HBO show Chernobyl, as well as movies such as Wild Rose and I’m Thinking of Ending Things.