In a casting move set to electrify the West End, Tony-nominated performers Eva Noblezada and Reeve Carney have been announced as the next stars of the acclaimed London revival of Cabaret. The pair, best known for originating the roles of Eurydice and Orpheus in the hit musical Hadestown, will reunite on stage at the Kit Kat Club, taking on the iconic roles of Sally Bowles and the Emcee. Their arrival marks a new chapter for the production,which has already drawn critical praise and sold-out houses as its immersive reimagining opened in London,and is expected to bring a fresh energy-and a devoted new audience-to this classic Kander and Ebb musical.
Exploring the casting of Eva Noblezada and Reeve Carney and what it means for Cabaret in the West End
With two Tony-nominated performers at its centre, this new casting signals a fresh chapter for the musical’s London life, one that leans into star power without sacrificing the piece’s political bite. Eva Noblezada, known for her emotionally searing work in Hadestown and Miss Saigon, promises a Sally Bowles who is less manic pixie and more damaged realist, bringing layered vulnerability to a role frequently enough played as pure decadence. Opposite her, Reeve Carney’s ethereal, rock-inflected presence suggests a more introspective, bohemian Clifford Bradshaw, blurring the line between narrator and participant. Together, they anchor a production that appears poised to court both devoted theatregoers and younger audiences discovering Kander and Ebb’s classic for the first time.
This pairing also underlines a broader shift in West End casting, where proven Broadway talents are increasingly imported not just as box-office draws, but as collaborative reinterpreters of repertoire. Producers are clearly betting on their chemistry and cult followings to extend the show’s commercial lifespan and cultural relevance. Expect heightened focus on character-driven storytelling, with creative teams likely to shape the staging around their strengths, including:
- Vocal reinterpretation: moodier, contemporary phrasing for standards like “Maybe This Time”.
- Star-led marketing: campaigns tailored to fans of Hadestown and Penny Dreadful.
- Gen-Z reach: social-first content and behind-the-scenes access to the rehearsal room.
| Performer | Role | Key Promise |
|---|---|---|
| Eva Noblezada | Sally Bowles | Raw, vocally daring fragility |
| Reeve Carney | Cliff Bradshaw | Brooding, modern outsider energy |
How this new Cabaret revival reimagines the Kit Kat Club for contemporary London audiences
Instead of leaning on Weimar pastiche alone, this staging turns the venue into an immersive, living organism that feels unmistakably London. Audience members slip through a speakeasy-style entrance into a maze of shadowy corridors, neon glows and intimate alcoves that blur the line between spectator and spectacle. Velvet banquettes sit alongside exposed brick and industrial metalwork, evoking both the city’s heritage music halls and its nocturnal club culture. Before a note is sung, visitors are folded into a world where decadence collides with displacement, echoing the capital’s own friction between soaring glamour and rising precarity.
The creative team mirrors the city’s diversity and anxiety through design, casting and sound. Contemporary streetwear is spliced with 1930s silhouettes; cabaret routines pulse with electronic beats; and the emcee’s asides land like razor-sharp commentary on modern London life. Themes of surveillance, populism and social inequality are threaded through the production’s visual language, inviting audiences to see themselves in the story’s slow slide into extremism. Key elements include:
- Immersive staging: in-the-round seating and roaming performers collapse the distance between stage and stalls.
- Hybrid soundtrack: classic Kander & Ebb numbers textured with subtle contemporary arrangements.
- Queer, diverse casting: reflecting the spectrum of identities that shape the city’s nightlife.
- Politicised design: posters, projections and props nodding to today’s headlines.
| Design Focus | London Parallel |
|---|---|
| Immersive club layout | Soho basement bars |
| Industrial chic set | Converted railway arches |
| Mixed-era costumes | Vintage markets & street style |
Key creative decisions behind the production and what theatre fans should watch for on opening night
Director and design team have leaned into the duality of decadence and decay, building a Kit Kat Club that feels both dangerously intimate and eerily cinematic. Expect a reconfigured auditorium that pulls audiences onto the dance floor of Weimar Berlin, with tables pressed close to the stage, immersive lighting that washes the room in sickly neons, and a live band partially visible like ghosts in the architecture. Choreography is set to be less chorus-line precision and more character-led storytelling: slinky, fractured movements that telegraph the creeping rise of fascism beneath the glitter. Costume choices double down on this tension too, with Eva Noblezada’s Sally poised between rag-doll vulnerability and razor-sharp glamour, while Reeve Carney’s Cliff is styled as a quiet outsider slowly swallowed by the world he’s observing.
Theatre fans on opening night should keep an eye-and ear-on the way musical motifs and staging echo one another across the evening. Listen for subtle tempo shifts that darken familiar numbers, and watch how lighting cues tighten around the Emcee as the narrative closes in. Ensemble work will be crucial: background characters are reportedly being treated as barometers of the era’s moral weather, so the smallest reaction in a smoky corner could tell a parallel story. Look out for these key moments and details:
- Opening tableau – how the first image frames the Cabaret as refuge, trap, or both.
- Sally’s first entrance – the contrast between her vocal bravado and physical fragility.
- Transitions – scene changes choreographed as part of the storytelling, not just logistics.
- The band’s visibility – when they vanish into shadow versus when they dominate the room.
- Final blackout – the last sound, last pose, and what they imply about complicity.
| Element | What to Notice |
|---|---|
| Eva’s Sally | Cracks in the bravura, especially in quiet lyrics. |
| Reeve’s Cliff | How his posture shifts as danger closes in. |
| The Emcee | Use of eye contact to implicate the audience. |
| Design | Props that subtly repeat Nazi imagery before it is named. |
| Sound | Cabaret tunes growing harsher as politics intrude. |
Essential tips for securing tickets and making the most of your Cabaret experience in London
With Eva Noblezada and Reeve Carney stepping into the Kit Kat Klub, demand will be fierce, so planning is everything. Prioritise official channels: book via the theatre’s box office or reputable ticketing partners to avoid inflated resale prices. Sign up for production and venue newsletters, enable ticket alerts, and keep presale codes handy. For better value, look out for weekday performances, off-peak matinees, and dynamic pricing drops close to the date. If you’re flexible, consider side-view or restricted-view seats, which often bring you closer to the action at a fraction of the cost. Don’t overlook same-day options either: some performances release rush or day seats in the morning, and limited standing tickets can be a budget-friendly way to be in the room for this high-wattage casting.
- Arrive early to soak in the immersive design of the foyer and auditorium before lights down.
- Dress for the mood – smart-casual or a touch of vintage glamour fits this jazz-soaked world.
- Skip heavy bags; security checks can eat into pre-show bar and atmosphere time.
- Study the cast board in the lobby for any last-minute cover or swing appearances.
- Stay through the curtain call – the energy of a Noblezada-Carney finale is part of the event.
| Tip | Best Bet |
|---|---|
| Lower prices | Midweek evening or early-week matinee |
| Last-minute tickets | Day seats & official rush schemes |
| Atmosphere | Stalls or cabaret-style tables if available |
| Star casting | Check performance schedules before booking |
Final Thoughts
As casting announcements continue to shape the landscape of the West End, the arrival of Eva Noblezada and Reeve Carney at the Kit Kat Club signals a high-profile new chapter for this enduring musical. Their involvement reinforces the production’s status as a must-see event for theatregoers and underlines London’s ongoing draw for international talent. With rehearsals underway and anticipation building, all eyes will now turn to how this pair reimagines one of musical theatre’s most iconic partnerships on the London stage.
