We’ll always have a soft spot for Cabaret, and not just because of our infatuation with beautiful Berlin. This was one of the first musicals to really grab us by the lapels and provide the thrill that lyrical theatre could and should, a riotous run through a special time in Berlin history that is as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching. The Liza Minelli-fronted 1972 film version catapulted Cabaret into the hearts of bombastic culture lovers worldwide, but there’s nothing quite like seeing the show in the city that gave it to the world. The musical actually got its origins from a 1939 short story called ‘Goodbye to Berlin’, set in a German capital that was hurtling towards fascism while a tough but fun group of characters tried desperately to retain Berlin’s artistic soul. The book was adapted in 1966 into the Cabaret we know and love, and the awards have not stopped since. ‘Leave your troubles outside. So, life is disappointing, we get it. In here, life is beautiful’. Nether have truer words been spoken by a somewhat creepy master of ceremonies.