Set in the seedy, sexually libertine world of 1930s Berlin, Cabaret is at once dark, dazzling and dreamy. With a stunning array of songs and sexy dances, it tells stories of love, hope and disillusionment, all against the looming shadow of Nazi takeover.

Mandarin pop idol Fei Xiang, who's been in Singapore for the past month for rehearsals, fills me in on the details. "This is entertainment for adults - highly sophisticated, raunchy and thought-provoking," he says. "I've always been a great admirer of the show for its willingness to explore the darker side of human nature."

Based on The Berlin Diaries of gay writer Christopher Isherwood, Cabaret is set to music by gay composer John Kander and gay lyricist Fred Ebb, creating a show that's almost too fabulous to be seen by straight people. It dwells on the tale of young bisexual American writer Chris Bradshaw (Jason Chan) and his affair with the drugged-out English cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Emma Yong). In their midst, we encounter the subplots of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and just plain slutty dancers of the Kit Kat Klub. The result: a drama so intensely queer, it had to be censored for the 1972 film version - which nevertheless went on to win eight Oscars.

It was this cinema version of Cabaret which first caught the attention of Toy Factory Theatre director Beatrice Chia. She recalls being stunned by Liza Minelli as Sally Bowles, as well as the dazzling choreography of Bob Fosse, then astounded once again when she saw the revived Broadway version directed by Sam Mendes.

"As a student in London, I used to buy standing tickets - the cheapest! - at the Donmar Warehouse to watch the plays Mendes directed," she says. "But while I am a huge follower, I believe that every director should have his/her own vision towards a text."

Since then, Beatrice has assembled a formidable cast and creative team to bring the musical alive in Singapore. This crew includes top local fashion designer Frederick Lee for costumes, as well as Malaysia's premier composer Saidah for musical re-arrangement.

Her most impressive coup, however, was her engagement of the Taiwanese-American pop celebrity Fei Xiang for the lead role of the Emcee. Based in New York, he's been actively involved in musical theatre for years, playing lead roles in The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon and Sunset Boulevard- all while maintaining a loyal following in East Asia, making him one of the highest-paid stars in Asia today. As a veteran of the Chinese music scene, his name has been pulling in a wide local audience - some of whom otherwise wouldn't be caught dead at a queer Broadway musical.

It was only last October that Beatrice Chia flew up to Shanghai to offer him a role in this production. He jumped at the chance.

"I had heard about Beatrice's previous productions in Singapore (e.g. Bent, Shopping and Fucking, East Side Story) and knew she had a no-holds-barred, confrontational style that would be well-suited to Cabaret," he says. "When I heard her ideas for the production I knew that it would be something special - gritty, high-impact and very entertaining."

With his gorgeous looks and voice, Fei Xiang is often typecast as the romantic lead of a show, so he's thrilled that for once, he's not playing Romeo. "The Emcee is a totally different type of role for me - flamboyant, funny and sexually ambiguous. It's so liberating to not have a standard "love scene" or duet. If anything, the Emcee makes love to the entire audience - a feat which will require every ounce of pansexual charisma I can muster."

In the meantime, he's certainly been winning the affections of his fellow cast members. "He's fantastic to work with; incredibly humble, no airs about him," says Jason Chan, who previously sang the lead role of Chris in The Admiral's Odyssey. "We all marvel at how he creates his sound. He's stunning to watch, so we can see why he's the star."

Beatrice, in the meantime, is training her actors hard for opening night. "She can be intimidating," admits Fei Xiang. "A sharp intellect in the body of a Supermodel/Amazon! She knows what she wants and is absolutely uncompromising in using whatever means necessary to attain it."

"For example, she wanted the cast of Cabaret to grasp the raw, uninhibited atmosphere of a Berlin nightclub as quickly as possible, so in the first week of rehearsal, she asked everyone to strip down and improvise in their undies. When a few of the cast members hesitated, she said "What's the problem? If necessary, I'll strip first." Everyone shut up and stripped down."

Beatrice has even been assigning her actors homework, making them research the history of 1930's Berlin so they'll properly understand the culture of the period. She notes that it's extremely important for the cast can communicate the mood of the era, a mixture of both lust and terror.

"Berlin was the sexual mecca of Europe in 1931, home to the most liberal gay/lesbian clubs. But the world was about to make one of the greatest mistakes ever - the Holocaust, a deep racial blunder. When we look at our present world, where people kill one another over cartoon drawings, we seem to be on the cusp of repeating this blunder again."

Life is a Cabaret, old chum, as the famous song goes. Come to the Cabaret.

Cabaret
Directed By Beatrice Chia
Starring Fei Xiang &
Emma Yong, Karen Tan, Jason Chan, Daniel Jenkins, Mark Richmond
Date: 22-30 July 2006
Venue: Esplanade Theatre (1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981)
Time: 3pm (23, 29 and 30 July 2006) 8pm (22 to 30 July 2006)
Tickets: $28, $48, $68, $88, $118 (for 3pm performances only)/
$38, $58, $78, $98, $128 (for 8pm performances only)
Available from all SISTIC outlets
SISTIC hotline: 6348 5555 or book online at www.sistic.com.sg

Exclusive Fridae offer, valid till 24 July
Toy Factory is delighted to offer Fridae.com members and website visitors a 20% discount when they purchase CABARET tickets through SISTIC Hotline 6348 5555 only. Discount is valid for evening performance on Sunday, 23 July 2006; Monday, 24 July 2006; and Tuesday, 25 July 2006 and for $68, $78, $88, $98, $118 and $128 tickets only (excluding $2 SISTIC fee) until 24 July 2006. To enjoy discount, Fridae.com members and website visitors must quote Discount Password "Life is a CABARET" upon booking through SISTIC Hotline 6348 5555.