Alan Cumming / Angela Lansbury

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Fresh Air marks the Tony Awards by revisiting interviews with Tony winners Alan Cumming and Angela Lansbury. Cumming discusses returning to Cabaret, the role’s political resonance, his bisexuality, and his relationship to performance and identity. Lansbury reflects on creating Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and collaborating with Stephen Sondheim.

Main Topics: Tony Awards Tribute and Broadway Legacy: The episode frames the upcoming Tonys as a chance to revisit landmark Broadway performances and celebrate enduring stage work by Alan Cumming and Angela Lansbury. Alan Cumming and the Evolution of Cabaret: Cumming explains how playing the MC across three productions changed as he aged, making the character darker and deepening the show’s political meaning. Sexuality, Identity, and Public Perception: Cumming discusses coming out as bisexual, why he continues to define himself that way, and how fame can distort the balance between personal life and artistic work. Sweeney Todd and Angela Lansbury’s Mrs. Lovett: Lansbury describes building Mrs. Lovett from English theatrical traditions and folklore, emphasizing the character’s humor, warmth, and amorality. Stephen Sondheim’s Process and Collaboration: Lansbury recalls Sondheim’s hands-on approach to composing and staging songs, showing how specific and theatrical his writing was for performers. Horror Films Backrooms and Obsession: Film critic Justin Chang reviews two low-budget breakout horror films, arguing that Backrooms loses some mystery while Obsession is sharper and more subversive.

Key Arguments: Cabaret remains relevant because its shift from decadence to oppression mirrors how authoritarianism can creep in gradually. Cumming argues that aging changed the MC: an older performer makes the character feel darker because he has remained in the club rather than escaping it. He says sexuality should not be treated as strictly black-and-white and that bisexuality is a legitimate, stable identity rather than a phase or publicity tactic. Cumming presents the MC as a Brechtian guide who seduces the audience into complicity before the show’s horror emerges. Lansbury sees Mrs. Lovett as a product of English theatrical history: broad, comic, lovable, and capable of violence without losing audience sympathy. Sondheim’s writing was highly specific and embodied; Lansbury notes he had worked out every gesture and sound effect in advance. Chang argues Backrooms is strongest when it preserves mystery and weaker when it over-explains its themes. Chang argues Obsession is more subversive because it centers the victimization of the woman whose autonomy is violated by the male lead’s wish. Both horror films are notable examples of low-budget, internet-born projects breaking out commercially and culturally.

Data Points: Tony Awards edition: 79th annual Tony Awards - The broadcast is framed around the upcoming Tonys honoring Broadway's previous season. Alan Cumming Tony wins: 2 Tonys - He won for Cabaret and later produced A Strange Loop. Alan Cumming Cabaret runs: 3 productions - 1993 London, 1998 Broadway, and 2014 revival. Alan Cumming age in revival: 49 - He describes the 2014 production as his 'birthday present' before turning 50. Angela Lansbury Tony wins: 6 Tonys - The segment cites five competitive Tonys plus a 2022 Lifetime Achievement Tony. Angela Lansbury age at death: 96 - Mentioned in the retrospective on her career and legacy. Sweeney Todd Tonys: 8 wins - The 1979 Sondheim musical swept the Tony Awards. Backrooms box office: more than $80 million - Justin Chang notes the film’s strong commercial performance after release. Obsession box office: more than $100 million - Chang calls it one of the year’s most profitable films. Obsession release date: May 15 - The film had grossed over $100 million since its May 15 release. Backrooms creator age: 20 - Kane Parsons is now 20 and has made the feature from his earlier web series. Obsession director age: 26 - Curry Barker is identified as a 26-year-old writer-director.

Pivotal Quotes: "the reason we're doing it again is that it has something to say" — Alan Cumming: Explaining why Cabaret remains relevant and politically urgent. "I think we should encourage the grey" — Alan Cumming: Discussing bisexuality and resisting rigid categories of sexuality. "take no prisoners and F bleep the wounded" — Angela Lansbury: Lansbury recounts advice about performing with boldness and fearlessness.

Implications: The episode underscores Broadway’s lasting cultural power and how classic shows gain new meaning through aging performers and changing politics. It also shows how low-budget, online-born horror can become mainstream hits while still wrestling with deeper themes.