Character guide
Cliff
from Cabaret
Cliff Bradshaw is the American writer whose arrival in Berlin and romance with Sally Bowles frames the story of Cabaret.
- Show
- Cabaret
- Premiered
- 1966
- Role
- Supporting
- Composer
- John Kander
Who is Cliff?
Cliff comes to Berlin hoping to write and finds himself drawn into the world of the Kit Kat Klub, where he meets and falls for Sally Bowles. Unlike Sally, Cliff becomes increasingly alarmed by the political changes happening around them, serving as an outsider's eye on the rise of extremism in the city.
His growing unease and his attempts to convince Sally that they should leave Berlin together drive much of the show's central tension, as the two characters want fundamentally different things from their lives.
Cliff's role in Cabaret
Cliff is a supporting role relative to Sally and the Emcee, but he functions as the audience's grounded perspective on events, making his clear-eyed reactions essential to the show's impact. The part calls for a performer who can be believable and sincere, providing a steady contrast to the theatricality surrounding him.
Because Cliff is often the one character urging caution and awareness, his relationship with Sally becomes a quiet but powerful engine for the show's larger themes about denial and complicity.
Frequently asked
What show is Cliff from?
Cliff Bradshaw appears in Cabaret, the 1966 musical with music by John Kander.
Is Cliff a lead or supporting role?
Cliff is a supporting role, though a central one alongside Sally Bowles.
What brings Cliff to Berlin in Cabaret?
Cliff travels to Berlin hoping to find inspiration and work as a writer.
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