Life is a Cabaret

Act 2 Scene 5 is the scene in which Cliff tries to persuade Sally to move away from Berlin. She then sings the song about Cabaret. In this song she sells the idea of Cabaret as a care free place where you can have all the alcohol and drugs you want. Before I saw Cabaret I didn't understand the meaning behind the key song that is sung by Sally Bowles but now knowing her character I don't see any truth behind the song she sings.

Sally's character is extremely naive to her situation. She refuses to join reality and instead buries her head in drugs, alcohol and glamour. The timing of this song in the script makes it seem as though she doesn't even believe in the song herself but she is just trying to prove to Cliff and the audience that Berlin is the place for her. In this song she says "no use permitting some prophet of doom, to wipe ev'ry smile away". Which is exactly what she does and thats the way she treats Cabaret. She manages to wipe away her cares and pretends that reality doesn't phase her. At times her personality can be a bit too much to bear because you can understand that her chacracter is down and unfulfilled but Sally herself chooses to ignore it. One thing that is prominent abour Sally Bowles is there is always something about her that is conflicted. Her love for Cabaret, yet she has a hatred for reality. She is a happy, bubbly person but underneath she is unhappy.