It is eight years since I last saw a production of Cabaret on stage and I must admit that in the interim I had forgotten what an excellent musical it is!

Quite a number of musicals I have seen and reviewed over the years have had very thin storylines, padded out by a number of songs. However, I am glad to say that Cabaret is not one of them. Here we have a musical with an excellent plot, backed by some superb musical numbers.

Bill Kenwright has a knack of finding outstanding talent for the various musicals he produces and, in the case of this touring production of Cabaret, he has come up with two major principals, one of whom is new to the professional stage and the other a seasoned performer who absolutely made the show for me.

In the role of Sally Bowles (made famous in the film version of Cabaret by Liza Minnelli) is Samantha Barks. Sam was discovered by Bill Kenwright when he was a judge on the TV reality show I’d Do Anything which was broadcast earlier this year, and although she finished third in the competition, is the first of the finalists from the show to take on a principal role in the professional theatre circuit. And what a brilliant performer she is!

A great voice, superb acting and brilliant dancing from a young woman whose talent belies her tender age of 18. Throughout the performance, she dominated the role with her stunning voice and her renditions of Maybe This Time and Cabaret were superb.

The other major principal was Wayne Sleep in the role of Emcee, the Kit Kat Club manager and MC and again he turned in a terrific performance, going from smooth to creepy and back again with consummate ease.

The part of the Emcee is the role that holds Cabaret together and Wayne uses the considerable experience he has amassed over the years to bring together this show into a real spectacle. His renditions of Willkommen and The Money Song were excellent.

Both of these performers are well supported by the three other principals – Henry Luxembourg as Cliff, Sally’s American lover; Jenny Logan as Fraulein Schneider, the guesthouse owner; and Matt Zimmerman as her fiancée, Herr Schultz, the local greengrocer.

Henry plays his role extremely well, giving a believable performance from his initial innocence about the Berlin he arrives in on New Year’s Eve 1930 to his horror and eventual rejection of the Nazis as he discovers what is happening politically in the country. Jenny (best known to many people as the woman in the Shake ’n’ Vac advert) plays her role brilliantly and is very moving at times, particularly in the songs Marriage, with Matt, and her solo What Would You Do. Matt is perfect in the role of Herr Schultz, the Jewish greengrocer.

I must mention that there is some nudity in the production, which initially is used to create a sense of fun, but in the final shocking tableau becomes a way to convey the indignity of the Jews facing the gas chamber.

The other 13 members of the ensemble play roles varying from dancers and singers at the Kit Kat Club to Nazi soldiers and the general Berlin citizens. The set, created by Katrina Lindsay, is brilliant, as is the lighting, which complements the various scenes superbly.

The direction by Rupert Norris is excellent, not detracting from Bob Fosse’s classic film, but making its own mark and creating a smash musical, thoroughly enjoyed by the Leeds audiences and certainly something to brighten up the dark November nights.