{"id":24734,"date":"2014-03-31T14:30:28","date_gmt":"2014-03-31T18:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/?p=24734"},"modified":"2014-03-31T14:30:28","modified_gmt":"2014-03-31T18:30:28","slug":"interview-alan-cummings-return-to-cabaret-decadence-deviance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/?p=24734","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Alan Cumming\u2019s Return to Cabaret, Decadence & Deviance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AlanCumming_Cabaret<\/a><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s been almost two decades since Tony Award-winning actor Alan Cumming slayed audiences with his portrayal of the over-the-top Emcee in the Broadway musical\u00a0Cabaret<\/a>. Now, at 49, he\u2019s reprising the role in NYC at Studio 54. I \u00a0got a chance to speak with the acclaimed actor of stage and screen (the Good Wife rocks!!!) between previews for Cabaret and his grueling tv filming schedule. He spoke about how his hot body is adjusting to doing moves he hasn\u2019t done in ages, the significance of his effeminate character on and off stage, and the difference between being a pragmatic gay and a self-hating one.<\/p>\n

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Paisley Dalton<\/strong>: What\u2019s different for you in this production of Cabaret, compared to the 1998 show?<\/p>\n

Alan Cumming<\/strong>: The world has changed and I\u2019ve changed. I feel older! It\u2019s interesting to come back. Your muscle memory starts to kick in. It\u2019s more of a challenge. I\u2019m still filming The Good Wife at the same time. That takes its toll. But I\u2019m getting into the groove.<\/p>\n

Dalton<\/strong>: You play the role Emcee..who is characterized as an effeminate deviant. Are effeminate gay guys fully accepted today, or considered deviants?<\/p>\n

Cumming<\/strong>: No! They\u2019re not! Within the gay community, it\u2019s very self-hating about more effeminate guys. That\u2019s something we need to look at, and be more accepting of everybody! In terms of the play, the character is both the symbol of decadence and hedonism\u2026the spectrum of sexuality, gender and confusion. He also leads the audience. They like the world he\u2019s from\u2026all the decadence. The play teaches people how easily terribly persecuting governments can slowly, but very effectively, take over.<\/p>\n

Dalton<\/strong>: Is being \u201cOut\u201d but not \u201cOut loud\u201d the current decadence?<\/p>\n

Cumming<\/strong>: For some people, it\u2019s easier to deal with a nice gay man in a suit than a nice gay man in a wig and glitter. You have to be pragmatic at certain times. I get that. We\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0want to belong. There are more options for gay people now. You can live in the suburbs with two kids. But those people become a bit self-hating of those who started the [gay rights] Movement\u2026the drag queens and the trans community.<\/p>\n

Dalton<\/strong>: Have you been to the Kit Kat Club in Berlin?<\/p>\n

Cumming<\/strong>: I have!!! It is like a dance club with sex! I didn\u2019t walk in thinking I was going to see people singing songs \u00a0(laughs). I like Berlin very much. There\u2019s NO shame! You do everything backwards. You can have sex with someone in a bar, then have a drink, then go for dinner. It\u2019s like gym culture with ejaculation!<\/p>\n

Dalton<\/strong>: Where do you hang out in NYC for camp fun?<\/p>\n

Cumming<\/strong>: I would go to\u00a0My Chiffon Is Wet<\/a>\u00a0of course (laughs\u2026full disclaimer: It\u2019s my party..hehe), on Thursday nights, or Susanne Bartsch\u2019s\u00a0Sunday Service<\/a>, or\u00a0Westgay<\/a>\u00a0on Tuesdays. I like that it\u2019s not just men only at these places\u2026they mix it up.<\/p>\n

Dalton<\/strong>: What kind of \u201cboy body\u201d is decadent for you?<\/p>\n

Cumming<\/strong>: People who are comfortable with their body\u2026their confidence. An understanding that they are sexy, but not aggressive about it. That can be a whole gamut of people. If they\u2019re too perfect, that can be a real turn-off\u2026 like if somebody has a look like their head has been photoshopped onto an Abercrombie model. I really find chiseled bodies disturbing.<\/p>\n

Dalton<\/strong>: Are you sexy?<\/p>\n

Cumming<\/strong>: YES!!!<\/p>\n

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Cabaret starts April 24 in NYC<\/em>. Get More info\u00a0HERE<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 
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\nIt\u2019s been almost two decades since Tony Award-winning actor Alan Cumming slayed audiences with his portrayal of the over-the-top Emcee in the Broadway musical\u00a0Cabaret. Now, at 49, he\u2019s reprising the role in NYC at Studio 54. I \u00a0got a chance to speak with the acclaimed actor of stage and screen (the Good Wife rocks!!!) between […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[1694,1965,1868,2664,1194,1332,3513,212,2735],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24734"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24734"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24736,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24734\/revisions\/24736"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zeitgeistworld.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}