| I wouldn't say he "was played as explicitly gay." (Do we have to say spoilers for a show this old?) | |
| Posted by: GabbyGerard 11:46 pm EDT 07/01/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Who is gay in the stage version? (with possible spoilers) - Singapore/Fling 06:55 pm EDT 07/01/21 | |
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| Yes, he kisses Bobby and the dialogue makes it clear that they've had some sort of physical affair in the past. But it's also clear that he and Sally have had sex. With the version of the libretto that Roundabout used (which, I'm pretty sure, theater companies mounting Cabaret can also choose to use), I think that whether Cliff is bi, questioning, or gay is somewhat open to interpretation. I saw both iterations of the revival several times and Cliff's orientation skewed in different productions depending on who was playing him and even who was playing Sally, not to mention that "final scene partner," the audience. For example, the Cliffs of John Benjamin Hickey and Matthew Greer read as gay and trying to resist their orientation; Boyd Gaines seemed like he was questioning; and Matthew Greer and especially Bill Heck struck me as bi (particularly opposite Sienna Miller). When Jennifer Jason Leigh's Sally told Cliff that she had the abortion because she would run off with the first interesting thing that came along or HE would, the subtext seemed crystal clear that he would run off on her and the kid because he would run off with a man; with Emma Stone, it seemed more like a comment on her own insecurity. And of course audience members who have familiarity with Christopher Isherwood's work are probably much more inclined to see him as being attracted to other men because of Isherwood's writing and life. |
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