CONTEXT AND GUIDANCE ESSAY.

Question One: With reference to two performance texts, analyse how a revival of a piece of
musical theatre adapts to the demands of a contemporary audience. You may want to
comment on how text is altered, how character portrayal differs and / or how technological
advancement is utilised in your answer.
Revivals of pieces of musical theatre have adapted to the demands of a contemporary audience. The
material in many revivals has been designed and updated to mirror the sexual nature of
contemporary society. The aesthetics of Musical Theatre have become increasingly risque drawing a
parallel to the sexualisation of society. There are many examples showing revivals have a higher or
more exaggerated sexual context of their presessors and that may lead to a greater or prolonged
success due to the fact our society has become more sexually accepting such as Cabaret and Rent.
Musical theatre has adapted to the demands of a contemporary audience, as society has
become more accepting of sexuality and is open to greater sexual imagery and connotations. There
is much speculation of the ideas of an audience's expectations becoming higher, so productions need
to keep finding ways to astonish, impress or shock their audiences. Increased sexualisation is a easy
way to shock and excite an audience, as a society there is a huge platform for sexuality, such as
music videos, open 'gentleman's clubs' and celebrity popstar tours in which there is heavy portrayal
of sexual acts and promiscious behaviour. For example Beyonce's concert, she is a worldwide idol
and artist who has a huge following, but continues to use provocative annd controversial dance
moves and flirtations on stage, because that helps entice the crowd and keeps the choreography
fresh and exciting. Some pop artists display large amounts of flesh in music videos and perform
with sexual prowess because the fanbase enjoy seeing this, and they know it will increase their
popularity and single sales. This is also a highly topical issue.
This then transfers for Musical Theatre. Due to the ideas and expectations of the audience,
shows that have a sexual element are expected to keep up with the times, and show sex in the same
way we would see it on music videos or the internet. This puts pressure on the shows to 'perform' in
a way, and leads to the revivals adapting to the contemporary audience's needs by increasing the
way they show the sexual intentions of the script.
The idea that the times have changed is relevant to why revivals choose to up the
sexualisation within their shows. The reason society has become more accepting of certain
sexualisations and other topics associated with sex such as gay/bisexual relationships, nonmonogomous relationships and even something as trivial as the amount of flesh a girl is showing is
down to the changing laws within the UK and New York City. The Sexual Offences Act was passed
in 1967 in the United Kingdom It decriminalised homosexual acts in private between two men who
were both over the age of 21. This shows that any show before 1967 wouldn't have been able to
display any homosexuality as it was against the law. A good example of how a revival adapted for a
contemporary audience was the 1993 West End revival of Cabaret, which added references to Cliff's
sexuality, and even included a moment where he kisses a cabaret boy. The passing of the Sexual
Offences Act meant that these details shown in the script and chosen by the director could be played
and used to shock or impress the audience.
Another example where Musical Theatre has adapted to a contemporary audience is in
Chicago with the costumes used by the ensemble. As the style and fashion has changed, so has the
ideas of whats provocative and sexy, and this has to be acknowledged by the director and designers
so that the costumes provide the right imagery for the musical's background.
The two performance texts I have chosen to discuss are Cabaret and Rent, focusing on Two
Ladies and Out Tonight. These are both examples of predominant musical numbers that demonstrate
the advancing sexualisation of specific characters. Cabaret in particular is an example of how the
sexualisation within musical theatre has increased as the societies have become more
knowledgeable and accepting of sex and different sexual natures. Mimi's character in Rent is an
exotic dancer which today we would associate with strippers or lapdancers. As acceptance has

grown, the character is able to portray a truer sexual performance during Out Tonight. This is
adapting to the audience as they know of 'dirtier' movements and intense showcases of sexual
action, so the movements and implicated choreography from previous runs of the show wouldn't
withstand the sexual culture of nowadays.
Two Ladies, a musical number in Cabaret is a raunchy sexual portrayal of the types of
activities that took place in Germany in 1931. The 1966 original Broadway production starred
Joel Grey as the Emcee. The costume he is wearing is a full tuxedo which covers his whole body,
and the two dancers are wearing fairly modest knee length skirts. The costumes are more implying
than in your face sexual. The action within the musical number is safe, for example when the two
girls touch his body they touch his stomach and thighs, however in the 1993 London revival the
two girls are played by a girl and a man in drag which shows the change in attitude towards
homosexuality and the increasing acceptance of the time. The ensemble dancers choreography was
adapted to shock to the audience and included crotch grabbing and 'dry-humping'. It also included a
shadow play simulating various sexual positions. The Emcee's costume is also radically different, a
more adventurous take of the tuxedo, with shorts and braces around his crotch.
'He sheds his coat, revealing a burlesque of a tuxedo--white sleeveless undershirt and black pants-with suspenders strapped suggestively around his crotch. The Kit Kat Girls who double as dancers
and musicians, (surely a triumph of casting!), wear flimsy costumes resembling lingerie and black
stockings with runs in them.' Reice, Sylvie. (of Alan Cumming's portrayal of the Emcee)
curtainup.com
The sexual activity throughout the song is adapted too, in the 1966 production they use a white
sheet to form a bed, slip underneath it and shake it to imply the sexual activity. There is not much
actual raunchy body contact within the number. In the 1993 revival, the bedsheet isn't present and
the action that would have taken place under it is open for the audience to see, such as the Emcee
sucking his fingers then grabbing one of the ladies from behind and holding her crotch as he thrusts
into her.
The Broadway role of Mimi was originated by Daphne Rubin-Vega in 1996 and in the 2008
revival Mimi was portrayed by Rene Elise Goldsberry. The contents of the routine is similar as the
choreography hasn't changed however the sexualisation of the choreography is definitely more
prominent in the 2008 revival. She uses sexual movements such as flicking her hair and shaking her
crotch towards the audience. At the end of the song whilst dancing on the table she uses a wider
variety of movements to mimic sexual positions which is an adaptation from the original Broadway
production as it shows the advancement of sex as she's able to show off various positions that she
possibly couldn't back in the 1990's. The ideas of using a woman to show sexual provocativeness
dates back to the 1870's when Burlesque was used, driven by the need to attract a bigger audience.
'Despite the comedians, many men in the audience came to see the notorious women who paid the
price of personal scandal to stretch the boundaries of what audiences should be permitted to see on
the musical stage.' (Kislan, Richard. Page 72)
Both Rent and Cabaret show the adaptations of musical theatre over time, and how it uses the
sexualisation within the musical to stay current and relevant to the contemporary audience. This is
important as it keeps the musicals alive for future audience's enjoyment. The impact on the
contemporary audience is affected by the level of sexual portrayal as as a culture we are now
exposed to a variety of sexual mediums and we are lot more knowledgeable and open about sex and
the topics that come with it.
Revivals of Musical Theatre adapts to the demands of a contemporary audience through
many ways such as altering texts and references to stay current to the time of performance for
example in We Will Rock You the choreography changes and character developments are made to
be topical.

The shared mental set or framework within which those of a particular generation in a culture
understand, interpret, and evaluate a text or an artwork. This includes textual knowledge of
conventions and expectations (e.g. regarding genre and style), and social knowledge (e.g. of moral
codes). It is a concept of reading (and the meanings this produces) as historically variable
(http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095944938:2014)
However the shows are adapted sexually for the contemporary audience. A huge wonder and
question developing throughout Musical Theatre's world is where can it go now in terms of
adapting it's sexualisation? Sexualisation has escalated to the point where cast members are fully
nude on stage (Cabaret 2013 revival tour), what else can the productions do to adapt and keep up
with the increasingly sexual nature of our society, other than actually replicate the act of sex and the
interactions that go with it on stage, which would be entirely inappropriate. Musical Theatre has
nowhere to go in terms of portraying the sexual nature within musicals to a contemporary audience
because it will never be shocking or exciting enough, and the audiences will always expect more.
Has the Horizon of Expectation from an audience pushed musical revivals so far that they are left
'burnt out' and have no more boundaries to excell?
References
Reice, Sylvie (March 10, 1998). "Curtain Up Review". curtainup.com. :2014
http://www.curtainup.com/cabar98.html
Are Revivals Killing The Musical Theatre? John Kenrick. Theatre Lover's Journal September 1998.
http://www.musicals101.com/jktimes.htm :2014
History of the Musical - Stage & Film The Future? John Kenrick.
(Copyright 1996 - Updated 2006) :2014
http://www.musicals101.com/future.htm
Oxford Index. Overview: horizon of expectations.
http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095944938 :2014
CABARET Two Ladies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umhuM3M_mfI
Two Ladies - Joel Grey (Cabaret, 1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPOiaAU_vJg
Rent 1996 Opening Night-Out Tonight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejhx-FvvNnI
Renee's "Out Tonight" performance from Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w48UFnGMwqo
Kislan, R. (1995). The musical. 1st ed. New York, London: Applause.
Works Consulted
Garebian, K. (1999). The making of Cabaret. 1st ed. Toronto: Mosaic Press.