Eddie Redmayne Playing Cabaret’s Emcee At The Tonys Cops Heavy Critique

Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne has ignited heated debate across social media, with plenty left horrified (or very, very confused) by his exaggeratedly theatrical performance of iconic character The Emcee from Cabaret at the Tony Awards.

Some compared his performance style to a “goblin” or Pennywise the Clown.

The whole spectacle was roasted online.

EJ Baker tweeted: “Is it possible to have someone’s Oscar revoked (this is an Eddie redmayne tweet)”

is it possible to have someone’s oscar revoked (this is an eddie redmayne tweet)

— EJ Baker (@ej__baker) June 17, 2024

Widespread criticism

“Eddie Redmayne in Cabaret is my new sleep paralysis demon. jesus christ,” opined Spencer Althouse.

Eddie Redmayne in Cabaret is my new sleep paralysis demon. jesus christ#TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/Sm3WYHwFrE

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) June 17, 2024

Lawg0d questioned: “Why is Eddie Redmayne playing the emcee in Cabaret like he’s a goblin?”

Why is Eddie Redmayne playing the emcee in Cabaret like he’s a goblin? #TonyAwards

— Lawg0d (parody) (@shoshpd) June 17, 2024

DMac joked: “Great to see that Eddie Redmayne’s failed audition for The Hobbit didn’t go to waste.”

Great to see that Eddie Redmayne’s failed audition for The Hobbit didn’t go to waste. He saved the voice and the movement for Cabaret… pic.twitter.com/hc6eEGkGJH

— DMac™ (@1nclusionRider) June 17, 2024

Charlie piped in with: “The new cabaret hurts me to watch,” adding: “I saw someone say he moves like a tiktok cosplayer and I can’t stop thinking about it”

The new cabaret hurts me to watch and I love cabaret like sorry I do not understand people who get defensive about it … Eddie Redmayne an insane MC I saw someone say he moves like a tiktok cosplayer and I can’t stop thinking about it

— charlie 💫 (@malewifeguy) June 17, 2024

Plenty of people stood up for Redmayne

Others rushed to Redmayne’s defence.

Ben Stiller responded: “It’s a brilliant performance.”

Danyal Shani 2.0 shrugged: “Everyone is dunking on this, but if you told me “this is considered EXTREMELY good in the musical theatre world” I would have just believed you.”

everyone is dunking on this, but if you told me “this is considered EXTREMELY good in the musical theater world” I would have just believed you. https://t.co/fvE8GbjmTX

— Graham (@GrahamC47) June 18, 2024

Dana Abercrombie was a fan: “Y’all will NEVAH get me to hate eddie redmayne. This. Is. Camp. This. Is. The. Kit. Kat. Club.”

Y’all will NEVAH get me to hate Eddie Redmayne.

This. Is. Camp.

This. Is. The. Kit. Kat. Club.#tonyawards #tonys #eddieredmayne #cabaret pic.twitter.com/1eNzsznbw6

— Dana #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) June 17, 2024

Jenny Nicholson pointed out: “People are roasting him but if he did this on TikTok to an electroswing song while dressed like hazbin hotel he’d have like 40 million views”

People are roasting him but if he did this on tiktok to an electroswing song while dressed like hazbin hotel he’d have like 40 million views https://t.co/MajgcsHKEj

— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) June 18, 2024

Prior versions of Cabaret

Other users chimed in with the mixed feelings some had based on prior loved versions of Cabaret.

One X user summed up: “I love cabaret so much and I truly do not understand what Eddie Redmayne is doing as emcee.”

I love cabaret so much and I truly do not understand what Eddie Redmayne is doing as emcee. #TonyAwards

— nate abandoned snoopy in the vestibule (he/him) (@1234567nate) June 17, 2024

Michele Rosenthal threw in: “So for me, the thing that is missing from Eddie Redmayne’s performance is the *queerness.*”

So for me, the thing that is missing from Eddie Redmayne’s performance is the *queerness.* Without it, the club doesn’t feel like an escape from fascist society. The cabaret becomes a place to feel creeped out by freaks, rather than a place to feel free to be a freak.

— Michele Rosenthal (@dialmformichele) June 18, 2024

Is The Emcee in Cabaret supposed to creep you out?

The performance left many divided, which led some to question viewers’ knowledge of Cabaret.

Victorian Gothic Stewart argued semantics: “the point of the Cabaret is that people ignore politics to come to the Cabaret but the horror finds them anyway. If, in the first number, there’s a crazy clown, you’re not forgetting anything.”

Re: the Cabaret Tony appearance – people saying he’s supposed to be off-putting. No, the point of the Cabaret is that people ignore politics to come to the Cabaret but the horror finds them anyway. If, in the first number, there’s a crazy clown, you’re not forgetting anything. pic.twitter.com/KBqtK4OumC

— Victorian Gothic Stewart (@ToryVStewart) June 18, 2024

Beloved Emcees that came before Redmayne

Others hearkened back to other beloved performances, such as Joel Grey or Alan Cummings.

“I’m not sure what that was supposed to be but it’s kind of atrocious. Anyway, here’s Alan Cumming in Cabaret in 1993,” wrote Kemeiun Rex.

I’m not sure what that was supposed to be but it’s kind of atrocious.

Anyway, here’s Alan Cumming in Cabaret in 1993.#TonyAwards https://t.co/PBDH76BDkd pic.twitter.com/molgSyuzug

— 𝕂𝔼𝕄𝔼𝕀𝕌ℕ ℝ𝔼𝕏 (@yourlittldogtwo) June 17, 2024

Mattie Watkins griped: “Maybe I’m spoiled by Joel Gray [sic] and Alan Cummings but the Eddie Redmayne version with his “marionette” movements is trying too hard.”

Cabaret is one of my favorite musicals. The emcee is supposed to be kinda creepy and you are suppose to feel unsure in regards to if he can be trusted.

Maybe I’m spoiled by Joel Gray and Alan Cummings but the Eddie Redmayne version with his “marionette” movements is trying too… pic.twitter.com/2tvJjDUu7m

— Mattie Watkins (@thepeaklady) June 18, 2024