I'm obsessed. Obviously, "Little Voice" could technically sing it much better than she does here. This is the 1993 West End version, which had a limited run of four months, and failed to transfer at the end of its limited engagement.
At this point, you have three basic versions of Cabaret. The 1966 Hal Prince Broadway production, the movie (Fosse, Minnelli) and the Sam Mendes 1993 West End production, which went to Broadway five years later with several cosmetic changes, but the same basic concept as 1993.
I'm fascinated by the way the title song is sung in each of the three versions. Actually, you can dispense with Liza's for now- Sally Bowles is supposed to be a mediocre performer in Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories. Liza was far too talented to play that version of her, so they changed it for the movie. When Liza sings it, it's an anthem, and it really just represents looking the other way in Berlin as the N_zis took over. Liza is brilliant, and it's one of the great moments in movie musical history.
Liza sings the title song AFTER Sally had her abortion, and Brian (Cliff on stage) has left town. But in Hal Prince's 1966 version, the placement of the song gives it more much more weight. Jill Hayworth as British Sally sings it just before the scene where she tells Cliff she's had her abortion, and won't be leaving Berlin with him. It is said that in the Prince version, at the start of the song, Sally hasn't made up her mind what do to about her pregnancy. Just before the lyric "I'm going like Elsie" Sally makes up her mind to abort. I think you get the hint of that in the Hayworth version that's on YouTube from the Tony Awards.
If you haven't watched it yet, take 4 minutes to watch Horrocks' version below. See if you can pick up what she and Sam Mendes are laying down there.
Ok, done? First of all, any subtilty, like the message in the movie, goes out the window. In the last 30 or so seconds, the lighting, placement of the mic, Horrocks' makeup, and her screaming are clearly meant to echo H_tler. I've had people debate me on this, but go look at the poster for the 1993 Donmar Warehouse production. She's "doing" H_tler. The other thing is, Sally isn't deciding to have her abortion here, she's in the middle of it. The real life Sally, Jean Ross had an abortion in Berlin, and nearly died from internal bleeding. She was in the hospital for months. Watch her at the end of the song- this is what's going on in her mind while she's having the procedure, or is representative of it. It's terrifying, and fascinating. I can't stop watching. (CONTINUED)