Katie Hall and Matt Willis Set to Ignite the West End in ‘Cabaret

Katie Hall and Matt Willis are set to join the cast of the acclaimed West End production of Cabaret,bringing fresh star power to one of London’s most talked-about revivals. The pair will step into the iconic roles at the Kit Kat Klub, the playfully reimagined home of the show at the Playhouse Theatre, as the musical continues its award-winning run. Their casting marks the latest in a line of high-profile performers to take on the landmark production, which has been widely praised for its immersive staging, bold creative vision, and timely exploration of politics, identity, and decadence in 1930s Berlin.

Casting spotlight Katie Hall and Matt Willis bring fresh chemistry to the Kit Kat Club

Katie Hall and Matt Willis step into the decadent world of the Kit Kat Club with a synergy that feels both electrifying and unpredictable. Hall,acclaimed for her crystalline vocals and emotionally rich performances,brings a nuanced vulnerability to the stage that promises to peel back the glitter of 1930s Berlin and expose its raw undercurrents. Opposite her, Willis injects a rock-infused charisma and edge, sharpening the show’s hazardous allure. Together, they create a dynamic that blurs the line between seduction and survival, perfectly suited to the production’s immersive, in-the-round staging and atmospheric design.

This new pairing is poised to recalibrate audience expectations, not just through their individual strengths but through how they intersect: musical theatre precision meets alt-rock intensity, classic West End craft collides with contemporary star power. Early rehearsal room whispers highlight their onstage rapport, with creatives praising the way they balance playfulness and tension in key scenes. The result is a casting move that feels both strategic and daring, positioning the production as a must-see for returning fans and first-time visitors to the club alike.

• Energy: A mix of theatrical polish and raw rock presence
• Vocal blend: Lush musical theatre tones with a gritty counterpoint
• Audience appeal: Long-time West End followers and new concert-going crowds
• Stage impact: Heightened intimacy in key duets and ensemble numbers

Inside the revival How this Cabaret production reshapes a West End classic

Far from a nostalgic retread, this new staging fractures and reassembles the musical’s familiar world, placing Katie Hall’s Sally Bowles and Matt Willis’s Emcee at the volatile center of a living, breathing nightclub.The Kit Kat Club is no longer just a backdrop but an immersive pressure cooker, where audience and performers share the same air and the same creeping dread. Designers lean into stark contrasts – smoky, low-lit decadence set against razor-sharp shafts of white light – echoing the show’s collision of hedonism and impending catastrophe. The result is an experience that feels part theatre,part fever dream,stripping away glamour to expose the cost of survival in a city about to implode.

This vision is underscored by bold directorial choices and a recalibrated focus on character psychology and politics, bringing fresh urgency to a story West End audiences think they know. Key elements of the reimagining include:

• Immersive staging that blurs the line between stage and auditorium, placing spectators inside the cabaret.
• Reorchestrated numbers with sharper, jazz-inflected edges to heighten danger beneath the sparkle.
• Intimate character beats that highlight Sally’s fragility and the Emcee’s moral ambiguity.
• Visual symbolism using costume, mirrors and shadow to track the rise of extremism.

Creative vision Direction design and musical choices that define the new Cabaret

In this reimagined production, director and designers lean into the duality of glamour and decay, shaping the Kit Kat Klub as both sanctuary and surveillance state. Stark,cinematic lighting slices through cigarette haze,isolating performers in pools of white while the surrounding space dissolves into shadow,hinting at the political storm gathering outside.Costumes shift subtly from riotous colour to desaturated palettes as the narrative darkens, allowing Katie Hall and Matt Willis to chart their characters’ emotional descent through fabric, silhouette and texture alone.The staging favours fluid, almost hypnotic transitions: cabaret numbers erupt directly out of intimate dialogue scenes, blurring the line between performance and private confession.

• Visual palette: Bronze, rust and deep burgundy echo Weimar opulence fading into austerity.
• Choreographic language: Angular, fractured movement underscores the rise of authoritarian control.
• Vocal framing: Songs are treated as internal monologues as much as showstoppers.
• Audience relationship: Cabaret tables and onstage seating draw spectators into the moral crossfire.

Musically, the score is handled with the precision of a period jazz set while allowing modern sensibilities to sharpen its political edge. The orchestration leans into brass and reeds with a smoky, speakeasy bite, but arrangements are tightened to spotlight lyrical unease and subtext.Tempos breathe with the drama: some numbers are slowed to an almost dangerous intimacy, others pushed to a manic, breathless pace that mirrors the city’s descent. Harmonies are occasionally stripped back to near-choral austerity, making moments of full-band eruption feel like emotional detonations rather than mere musical climaxes.

• Instrumentation: Prominent clarinet and muted trumpet evoke cramped Berlin basements.
• Sound design: Ambient street noise and distant rallies bleed into the club, never letting politics vanish.
• Vocals: Imperfect, character-led singing favours storytelling over polish.
• Dynamic arcs: Intimate torch songs explode into harsh, percussive finales.

Planning your visit Best seats booking tips and ways to enhance your West End experience

Securing a seat at the Kit Kat Club is unlike booking a standard West End musical – the space is intimate, immersive and meticulously designed to pull you into the world of the Emcee. Prioritise central stalls or front dress circle for a full view of the in-the-round staging and subtle character work from Katie Hall and Matt Willis, but remember that some of the most atmospheric spots are at cabaret-style tables closer to the action. These offer an almost clandestine perspective, with performers weaving through the audience. When booking online, study the venue’s seating plan carefully and cross-check with autonomous seat-review sites; even a slight off-centre seat can change how you experience key moments of eye contact, choreography and lighting.

To turn your outing into an all-evening event,time your arrival so you can soak up the club’s pre-show ambience rather than rushing in at the last minute. Many theatre-goers opt for early access to enjoy themed cocktails, live music and the production’s carefully curated design details before the curtain rises. Consider the following speedy-reference guide when planning:

• Matinees – often better availability and more budget-amiable seats.
• Weeknights – quieter than weekends, ideal for last-minute bookings.
• Premium seats – best for first-time visitors keen on the most cinematic view.
• Restricted-view bargains – useful for repeat visitors focused on atmosphere over perfection.

Concluding Remarks

As “Cabaret” prepares to welcome Katie Hall and Matt Willis into the Kit Kat Club, this latest casting underscores the production’s ongoing appeal and its status as one of the West End’s most dynamic revivals. With fresh leads stepping into these iconic roles, audiences can expect a renewed interpretation of Kander and Ebb’s classic that continues to reflect and refract contemporary realities.

Performances featuring Hall and Willis are set to begin later this year at the Playhouse Theatre, currently transformed into the immersive Kit Kat Club. Tickets are now on sale through official London theatre outlets.