Me, Tom Self & I - Review

Crazy Coqs, London

****

Me, Tom Self & I marked the cabaret debut of Tom Self, showcasing an evening of the man’s own writing. The gig was polished, witty and wonderfully performed with an ambience that suggested an accomplished cabaret artiste rather than debutant.

Hitherto a musical director, teacher, writer and actor-musician, Self has already notched up an impressive tally of 20 pantomimes that he has written for or musically arranged. Only in his early 30s he shows a keen eye for sharp lyrical connections and an impressive range of musical styles around which he has arranged his words. 

The one-act set lasted a crisp 75 minutes with Self’s autobiographical patter matching the wit of his songs. Looking out at a packed Crazy Coqs filled largely on this opening night with family and friends, Self remarked that it all was “a bit like being at my own wake!”. A clever and confident gag that set the tone for the evening.

Self played 10 of his own compositions on piano, ably accompanied by Elliot Mackenzie on bass and Luke Thornton on drums with Laura Sillet, Lewis Asquith and Alex Tomkins providing vocal support. Opening the show with the appropriately titled The Opening Song, Self displayed a clever understanding of melody, structure and humour in his writing. Cockney Knees Up followed, deploying a knowing use of Cockney rhyming slang.

Royal Dreams Come True from Self’s Sleeping Beauty pantomime score was a fun duet between the writer and Tomkins set to a bossa nova, while The Cinema Song (from the Brief Encounter stage show) brought an authentic 1930’s feel to its words and music.

The evening’s vocal highlight was Sillett’s take on Don’t Talk About Christmas, while Self’s Post Show Blues, written about the melancholy that can descend when a show’s run ends and the company break up, contained perhaps the evening’s killer lyric: “How quickly an overture becomes the final bow”. Powerful, perceptive writing.

Sasha, Nadia and Jasmine, a trio of students from Self’s alma mater Trinity Laban made fine work of another Sleeping Beauty number Fight For The One, before Self brought the proceedings to a close with a cover of the Victoria Wood Covid-inspired classic, Let’s Do It.

For a newcomer to the world of cabaret performance, Self’s confident charm and musical talent are an astonishing delight. This evening’s performance marks what must surely be the launch of yet another strand to his accomplished career to date.

If you missed tonight’s show don’t worry. Tom Self is back at the Crazy Coqs in two weeks time in what will most likely be another sell-out performance!

Me, Tom Self & I returns to the Crazy Coqs on 12th February

Dad's Army Radio Show - Review

Crazy Coqs, London

****

Written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft

Directed by Owen Lewis

David Benson and Jack Lane

Originally penned as a radio show back in 1968, Dad’s Army could be described as unique in its comedic genre: despite being dated, somehow this comedy series centred around the doings of a Home Guard platoon in the fictional town of Walmington-On-Sea during World War II, manages to survive and is still much-loved (although, one suspects, probably by more senior audiences).

The genius of the original series was of course not only its inspired casting, but also the incisive wit of its writers, who managed to lovingly satirise so much of England's classic charm within their scripts. From radio, to television sit-com, to stage and screen translations, this latest iteration of Jimmy Perry and David Croft’s brilliantly observed comedy masterpiece is a selection from the TV series’ latter episodes, all newly adapted for stage but performed here as a radio show – and thus the form in which it was first presented. As such, there are scripts on stands and microphones on stage and even an old-fashioned radio atop a cabin trunk centre stage. What makes this production unique however is that the show’s twenty-five-plus characters are played by just two actors!

A tour de force indeed, and it has to be said that the duo of David Benson and Jack Lane, dressed in khaki uniforms as befits the Home Guard, rise to the challenge admirably. The latter’s portrait of Private Pike, the wet-behind-the ears youngest member of the platoon is spot-on and he segues, seemingly effortlessly, into the voice of the unit’s Captain Mainwaring. Equal kudos must go to Benson, brilliant as the voice of laid-back Sergeant Wilson and more. The comic timing is excellent and any inadvertent pauses are well covered up by ad-libs, much appreciated by the live audience.

Even the female voices are well managed and if there was the occasional corpsing it was in the main managed well. Interestingly the evening's radio play format allows for an amazingly comprehensive picture of the mores of the time. Opening with Churchill’s famous ‘We will fight them on the beaches’ speech and with atmospheric musical interjections, it is all very effective.

Dad's Army Radio Show makes for an evening of charmingly witty nostalgia, immaculately performed.

Touring across the UK from September. Tickets via this link

Reviewed by Barbara Michaels

Sinatra: Raw - Review

Live At Zedel, London



****

Richard Shelton

Transferring to the capital from a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Richard Shelton’s tribute to Frank Sinatra makes for a fabulous evening. Accompanied by the excellent Michael Roulston on piano, Shelton adopts Sinatra’s persona for the gig - transporting the action to The Purple Room in Palm Springs and, in amidst a selection of the crooner’s greatest hits, delivers a well rehearsed and meticulously researched whirl through Sinatra’s life.

Shelton’s script touches on Sinatra’s youth, The Rat Pack, his (alleged) links to The Mob and JFK, as well as his politics and fierce support of America’s civil rights movement. There are moments perhaps when the narrative seems a little lengthy and self-indulgent, but these are more than made up for by Shelton’s sensational voice. The songs are classics, with the script offering occasional footnotes alluding to the numbers’ histories.

But for 75 minutes of mellifluous wonder, Sinatra: Raw cannot be beaten. Sit back as you sip on a vodka martini or scotch on the rocks and as Shelton sings, close your eyes, and Ol' Blue Eyes could be right there with you!

Runs until 20th January
Photo credit: Betty Zapata

Billie and Me: Patti Boulaye Live at Zedel - Review

Live at Zedel, London,

****

Patti Boulaye

It's nigh on forty years since this reviewer first clapped eyes on Patti Boulaye. Her braided hair in tight plaits, Boulaye lit up our TV screens on a Saturday evening, becoming the only competitor in six series of the New Faces talent show to get a maximum 120 from the four judges (but Les Dennis got 119!).

Heaven knows what she sang, but you simply couldn't take your eyes off her and yet she had stumbled into show business almost by accident. Arriving in London from Nigeria at 16, Boulaye thought she was standing in a queue for tickets for Madame Tussaud's, only to discover it was the line for auditions for Hair that was then playing in the West End. Having waited so long, she figured she might just as well have a go, and thus landed her first part.

New Faces later gave her national exposure but although she got some good work – including the lead in Carmen Jones at the Old Vic in the early 1990s - Boulaye never really made the big time that someone with her stunning talent and fabulous voice deserved.

She reminded us of her vocal scope when she launched into Dat's Love from Carmen Jones and although she dealt movingly with the big Holiday numbers (the notorious Strange Fruit, made more notorious for being banned by some radio stations!) God Bless The Child and Lover Man, there was a lot more than Billie in Boulaye's joyous hour and half.

Her own composition In My Memory, a love song to her family, was simple and gorgeous while the raunchy songs of those blues greats, Bessie Smith and Alberta Hunter, with their rude double entendres, The Kitchen Man with his impressive "sausage meat" and Rough and Ready Man had her audience in stitches. They certainly don't write ‘em like that any more, nor the Etta James classic At Last, beautifully achieved by the dazzlingly dressed Boulaye - shimmering black for the first half changing to starry silver for the later numbers.

Boulaye even gave My Way a new depth, justifying its inclusion because Sinatra had always said how much of an influence Billie Holiday had been on him. Mike Moran's musical direction was impeccable.

Reviewed by Jeremy Chapman

Lulu's Back In Town - Review

Live at Zedel, London


***

Lucy Dixon

For one night only jazz artiste Lucy Dixon brought her eclectic taste in 20^th century music to the Crazy Coqs’ art deco basement.

Notwithstanding a distinctly Parisian twist to her act, her routine defiantly straddled the Atlantic with a set-list that dated deliciously back, nigh on 100 years.

As a performer Dixon is blessed with exceptional technical skills – her voice is pitch perfect (an a cappella take on When I Get Low I Get High in her encore was stunning) and she liberally dilutes her vocal turns with perfectly syncopated tap routines throughout the gig.

But as a cabaret gig at the Crazy Coqs Dixon misses the mark, rarely crossing the “fourth wall” to reach out to her intimately placed audience.  Her perfectly harmonised trio are a delight in support, but Dixon loses herself in too many flights of self-indulgency, including a mangling of Gershwin’s Fascinating Rhythm, mashing the lyrics into a barely audible blur.

There were times when the talented, gamine and oh so chic performer resembled more of a marionette or even worse, an animated background singer providing “live muzak” rather than the shared personal narrative that can truly make for a fulfilling cabaret gig.

With a bit more self-revelation, an evening with Dixon could yet prove to be stunning.

As Hamlet’s Gertrude might have said, more patter with less tap.

Photo credit: Louis Burrows

A Spoonful of Sherman - Review

Live at Zedel, London



****

Daniel Boys and Helena Blackman

It’s a surefire treat after a hard day of toil or tourism, to slip into the comfort of an collection of songs from the Sherman dynasty. In a show last seen at what is now The Other Palace, Robert J. Sherman (Robbie)  4th generation tunesmith and son/nephew of the legendary Sherman Brothers (Richard M. and Robert B.) has brought his carefully curated compilation across London for a two week residence in the Art Deco charm of the Crazy Coqs’, Live at Zedel.

The gig is badged as The Songbook Of Your Childhood – and the description is spot on. Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book, two of Walt Disney’s biggest hits of the 1960s were scored by the Sherman Brothers and if one then throws in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from James Bond’s Ian Fleming, the place of the pair in songwriting’s pantheon is assured.

50 songs are referenced in a 90 minute whirl as  Sherman offers fascinating glimpses of narrative into the lives of his antecedents. That the set list also includes such pop hits as You’re Sixteen and Let’s Get Together only evidences the breadth of the Sherman Brothers’ careers.

As one would expect, performers Helena Blackman and Daniel Boys bring a crisp technical skill to the numbers, with glimpses of the songs’ original magic occasionally shining through. Boys positively relishes every moment of Wind’s In The East, giving a passionate enthusiasm to his performance that would more than match any of the stage Berts that have preceded him. Christopher Hamilton accompanies the pair on the piano, with a turn that spills into a celebration of irreverent excellence, including a stunning take on The Ugly Bug Ball.

Robbie’s recent offering of Bumblescratch makes up a pleasing portion of the second half, but for all the family’s multi-generational talent, this show lives and breathes the genius of the Sherman Brothers. Love, laughter and history – it’s all here in a charming evening’s entertainment.

Runs until 20th August

Anne Reid - Review

Crazy Coqs, London


****

Anne Reid

Wrapping up a UK tour, this week sees Anne Reid take up a residency at the Crazy Coqs. Not just as one of the nation’s most beloved actresses, Reid’s cabaret reputation precedes her and her set that lasts the best part of two hours is a delight.

Don Black, one of our finest lyricists, loves to see Reid in cabaret for the yarns that she can spin. Much of the evening is spent listening to her anecdotes – and where not so long ago Lorna Luft held audiences rapt with tales of Judy Garland and Hollywood, so too does Reid enthral us, with recollections of a career on England’s stage and screen that stretches back to the 1950s. Her self-deprecating charm takes no prisoners – but it’s impossible not to love a woman who stands on stage wistfully reminiscing about filming a love scene with Daniel Craig in The Mother, before going on to share that Craig is only four years older than her son!

Reid defines the concept of bon viveur. Her opening numbers, They Say Its Spring, followed swiftly by I’m Feeling Too Good Today (Reid adding kazoo accompaniment) are an infectious delight. Though it’s far more than just an upbeat view on life that defines this actress as a chanteuse. Alongside her wry take on Makin’ Whoopee Reid offers a gorgeously defined take on Streisand’s 11o’clock classic, The Way We Were. 

But as Don Black emphasised, it is Anne Reid’s stories that make her cabaret take flight. From Coronation Street to Last Tango In Halifax, her performances are woven into the nation’s DNA - and don’t forget she was the voice of Wendolene in Wallace and Gromit’s A Close Shave some twenty (20!) years ago too. She sagely comments that Shakespeare’s texts are harder to learn than Victoria Wood’s, whilst offering backstage snippets that show her to have been at home in a far-flung provincial theatre as she is in filming a show that is destined to be seen by millions. Reid oozes a rare and humble charm that understates the depth and richness of what has been to date a quite phenomenal career.

Her musical director Jason Carr accompanies throughout, occasionally taking to the microphone too. Carr’s keyboard skills are sublime, with an affinity between pianist and diva that is sweet and tangible.

It says much for the singer that her encore number was More I Cannot Wish You from Guys and Dolls. The song is finely crafted, soft and enchanting – and not heard often enough. Much like Anne Reid herself.

In residency until 26th March

A Swingin' Christmas - Review

Crazy Coqs, London

****

GaryWilliams

London may have been sweltering under the warmest December since records began, but deep in a Piccadilly basement it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas as Gary Williams whipped up a blizzard of seasonal treats, bringing his Swingin' Christmas show to The Crazy Coqs.

The venue was packed as the mellifluous Williams took his audience on a sleigh ride through the Songbook, in a set that ranged from a beautifully introspective River, through to a spoof on ladyboys (She's Got That Thing). In a routine that was as informative as it was entertaining, Williams gave a potted history of Xmas No 1s. And if you've never done it, I cannot recommend highly enough sitting in the Crazy Coq's Art Deco splendour, Martini in hand, singing along to Benny Hill's Ernie (#1 in 1971 if you were wondering). As act one rounded off with a singalong White Christmas, the gig was truly becoming a most wonderful time.

Accompanied throughout by Clive Dunstall on piano, Williams worked the room effortlessly, which included managing to get the curmudgeonly yours-truly up on my feet for The Twelve Days of Christmas. Williams knows not only his songs and their writers and histories - he also understands their nuance too, though after a few more marvellous Martinis my appreciation of the night's subtleties might have become a little fuzzy.

No matter, for I suspect the Gershwin brothers were probably chuckling in their graves at Williams gently bastardising Our Love Is Here To Stay into a Boxing Day nightmare of Your Mother's Here To Stay. 

If the evening was light-hearted, it's heart was definitely in the right place, as favourites from across the decades pleased the crowd who were just happy to be so wittily entertained on the run in to Christmas.

I’d heard a lot about Williams' cabaret style and he lived up to expectations. He's back next year with a Hollywood inspired set. Book early.

Julie Madly Deeply - Review

Crazy Coqs, London


***

Sarah-Louise Young

Julie Madly Deeply is a technically brilliant performance from Sarah-Louise Young that charts the life of possibly the queen of our national treasures, Julie Andrews.

A self-confessed fan and devotee, with a knowledge of both Andrews' life and repertoire that is arguably unsurpassed, Young's whirlwind performance has criss-crossed the Atlantic, with this three day residency at The Crazy Coqs marking the show's return to the capital.

Accompanied by Michael Roulston on piano, the act, even down to the patter, is meticulously rehearsed and delivered - and as a modestly-sized stage show Julie Madly Deeply deserves its acclaim. But as a cabaret act it misses the mark. Good cabaret should work around the fourth wall but here, and almost throughout, a bewigged Young hides behind that blasted wall giving us little more than a virtuoso acting performance, even if she does occasionally lapse into a hybrid of Princess Diana crossed with Norman Bates.

Notwithstanding that Young's flawless singing and mimicry is spot on (her Liza Minelli is a treat) there is virtually no spontaneity to be found here, nor much sincere interaction with her audience. And over those late night cocktails and g&t's, does one really need, for an eleven o'clock number and with a heartbreaking accuracy, an impersonation of Andrews' latter day voice, ravaged following her vocal-chord surgery, singing a plaintively muted Edleweiss? I'm not so sure

On twitter, Young sports the disarmingly self-deprecating title of Cabaret Whore. Actually, with her direction of the sensational Miss-Leading Ladies barely three months ago, she has proved she's a cabaret genius. Julie Madly Deeply is a finely honed work of musical and theatrical excellence that would be best served the other side of Piccadilly Circus amidst the bijou intimacy of the Jermyn Street Theatre. But as cabaret, it’s whored.

Runs until 14th November

An Evening With Maria Kesselman - Review

Crazy Coqs, London

*****

Maria Kesselman

In her one-woman cabaret, Maria Kesselman firmly proves herself to be a force to be reckoned with. A truly seasoned professional, she seamlessly blends an impressive voice and near-perfect technique with an ability to make each and every audience member feel as though they have known her for years.

In her own words, the set is a "celebration of the merry-go-round of life, love and laughter." It is this mix that forms the foundations of a remarkable show, and the convincing and deeply passionate delivery of each and every song that cements this.  

It's a dizzying programme and there is never a moment where the audience feels distracted or even bored. There simply isn't the opportunity. While classic songwriters such as Gershwin, Sondheim and Porter and universally-loved pieces such as Fly Me To The Moon and La Vie En Rose are featured (and delivered incredibly well), Maria's vast love and knowledge of music enables her to select songs that the audience may never have heard before, but that they love almost immediately. That in itself is an incredible gift.

The show provides the perfect platform from which Maria's love for music and dance - which she alludes to throughout the evening - can shine through. That she is so comfortable on the stage (she has played Christine opposite Michael Crawford's Phantom) and clearly enjoys herself immensely, is contagious and the audience warms to her even more as a result. 

Accompanying her on the piano, James Church is equally impressive, and as Maria's "partner-in-crime," he does a sterling job - flying with ease through a challenging repertoire of classics and lesser known ditties, from the sombre to the upbeat and back again.

The most memorable moments are arguably those of poignancy. In the first half particularly, Maria peppers the show with autobiographical recollections, covering areas such as the passing of both of her parents within four months of each other, and the origins of her life-long love affair with dogs, attributed to when she occasionally shared a cot with a pet poodle. 

And when Kesselman sings about love – covering themes that we've all heard a thousand times before – the result is so powerful that it makes the concept itself seem completely new.

Playing the Crazy Coqs for one night only, hopefully she’ll soon be back for more.

Guest reviewer: Bhakti Gajjar 

Frances Ruffelle - Review

Crazy Coqs, London

*****

The term ‘icon’ is often freely used with little regard for it’s true definition – however from last night’s gig at The Crazy Coqs, Frances Ruffelle clearly merits the title.

The Tony award winner is an acclaimed stage and recording artist who originated the role of Eponine in the legendary Les Miserables (which “On Its Own” might qualify her for icon status), but it’s also her electrifying authenticity that radiates from her in every part of her performance that makes her truly special. 

Promoting her new album ‘I Say Yeh Yeh , that coincides with Les Miserables 30th Anniversary, seems like no real coincidence as from the outset the audience were enthralled by Ruffelle singing in perfect French with the accompaniment of a four piece band. She offered a Parisian sensuality in her story telling, which L’un Vers L’Autre the opening number demonstrated eloquently. 

As Ruffelle interjected a spoken interlude to describe a lovers' bedroom scene, including crisp bed sheets and clothing scattered around the floor, the first glimmer of her comedic excellence shone through. This contrasted with a hauntingly beautiful duet, Paris Summer, sung at the bar with guest singer Rowan and proving one of the evening’s early highlights, showcasing Ruffelle’s distinctive vocal quality.

Ruffelle’s naturally vivacious personality was so joyfully evident, not only in her witty spoken dialogue, but in her songs. When joined by Gwyneth Herbert who has produced the new album, the two complemented each other perfectly. Their duet of the album’s title track was simply infectious to all who had the pleasure of being in the room, voices blending together effortlessly, along with playful interaction with the band.

The most breathtaking moment of the evening ( and there were many!) was Ruffelle singing Eponine’s On My Own in what can only be described as a homage to the role that catapulted her in to public recognition thirty years ago and a way of interpreting the song to reflect her as a performer and most importantly as a person. Kneeling on the piano, with the double bass hinting at a 1930’s jazz number, Ruffelle put her heart and soul as well as her powerful upper register in to the song, making it sound as fresh as ever, 

Her performance will linger in your memory long after leaving the Crazy Coqs. As she says in her concert “Love is rare, life is strange”. What is certain however is that Frances Ruffelle is one of the most gifted and iconic performers that the UK has ever produced.

Frances Ruffelle is in residence until 17th October

Guest reviewer: Francesca Mepham

Kit and McConnel - Review

Crazy Coqs, London

****

Kit and McConnel

The cabaret duo Kit and McConnel have only been performing together for 3 years, so this show’s title The Game Is Old dues not suggest themselves. Instead it refers perhaps to their satirical act that contains classic melodies given a modern twist, as they cover contemporary issues with razor-sharp wit. Nominated for the 2015 London Cabaret Award, Kit Hesketh-Harvey and James McConnel make a welcome return to The Crazy Coqs.

From the outset, the sight of the debonair McConnel on piano and the exuberant presence of vocalist Kit commands our attention. A wave of nostalgia for a bygone era in their first number quickly makes way for the crowd pleasing Nandos (parodying Abba’s Fernando) containing some sharp and incredibly funny observations. There Are No Plumbers Left in Poland is satire at its best, as is the very true to the mark Pilates.

Between songs the dry humour of McConnel is evident in his stories, with his virtuosic piano skills proving incredible during the Liszt improvisation game.

A cleverly constructed original playlist is never an easy task, but the beautiful and finely observed second act songs such as All The Things We Never Said and Afghanistan offer a wonderful contrast to the mostly comic elements of the evening’s programme.

Kit and McConnel are seasoned performers who combine their obvious great talent of music and comedy with charismatic and endearing personae. There is room for them to explore their set’s tender moments further, similarly we could hear more of McConnel’s humorous stories with input from Kit. But this show has the power to make an audience laugh from the beginning of a song right to its end and remains a privilege to watch.

In residence until 4th July

Guest reviewer: Francesca Mepham

Eric Yves Garcia - Review

Crazy Coqs, London


****

Eric Garcia

In recent years New York singer-pianist Eric Yves Garcia has made quite an impact. An award winning cabaret artiste, he is here for a week’s residency at the Crazy Coqs with his show, One Night Standards. 

Relaxed from the outset, it was hard to comprehend that this was Garcia’s UK debut. Beginning with Arlen and Mercer’s Ridin’ On The Moon, it rapidly became clear that Garcia is a performer who can make one believe every note and lyric. Accompanied by Joe Pettit throughout on double bass, his first song declared his arrival and from there it continued with the deliciously naughty One Hour With You. If there is one male singer who can deliver this Whiting and Robin treat with the perfect mix of glint in their eye and silky vocals, it is Garcia. 

The mesmerizingly good-looking Garcia has a self-deprecating patter that forms an impressive part of his gig. With pinpoint timing he talks of performing in Florida (or as he described it, ‘’god’s waiting room’), to an audience response that is testament to his raconteur ability. 

Numbers that were more emotionally exposed such as Hey Look, No Cryin’ proved a powerful highlight of the set, with Garcia’s understated vocals and vulnerability counteracting the wit and charm of his earlier comical pieces. 

Captivating is an oft overused word but it describes Garcia perfectly. From an astounding musicianship and controlled velvet voice, to his well-honed comic presence, the man is a delight. If a performance could transport the audience to another era, one of forgotten romance, that still manages to sound as fresh as it did sixty years ago, then this is it.

Performs until 13th June 2015

Guest reviewer: Francesca Mepham

Don Black In Conversation - Pt 1: Cabaret

Don Black

The London Festival of Cabaret opens this week and runs for a fortnight across the city. Featuring a line-up from both sides of the Atlantic you can expect legendary names getting up close to a microphone, singing songs that they love (and may also have composed) and reaching out beyond the spotlight to share stories with an audience.

Unlike a staged musical the atmosphere couldn’t be more relaxed – and over a cocktail or glass of wine, maybe with a bite to eat too, listening to an inspirational performer either singing beautifully or sharing a sparkling anecdote makes for a charming evening.

As the final preparations were being drawn up for Tuesday’s opening night, I caught up with Festival Patron and Oscar-winning lyricist Don Black to talk about his love for the art-form.

JB:    Don, what drew you to supporting the Festival? 

DB:    I've always, for as long as I can remember, loved cabaret. When I was managing Matt Monroe, all those years ago, I used to go to those northern clubs and cabaret clubs which were rife in the '60's. Places like Talk of the Town, I used to love the atmosphere. 

When I started going to America a lot, I used go to all the cabaret places in New York. Lots of things drew me to these places.

You would get singers there who sang the different songs, special material, witty songs. Songs you hear very often. No one in cabaret sings My Way or those out and out popular songs. You get some very, very interesting and intriguing artists.

In New York I used to go and see a guy named Oscar Brown Jr., wherever he appeared. In fact I was discussing him only the other day with Van Morrison, who is a huge fan of his, so is Paul Jones, and many people.

I used to go and see Matt Dennis who wrote great songs like Angel Eyes and Let's Get Away From It All. 

I just like that closeness, the intimacy of the cabaret room. I'm delighted that so much is going on in London, in cabaret. I go to the Crazy Coqs quite often along with the St. James and I go to The Pheasantry too. The other night at The Pheasantry I saw Charles Strouse, the man who wrote Annie and Bye Bye Birdie. Now, you tell me where you can go see a guy, nearly 87 years old, talking for 2 hours and sharing anecdotes about Jule Styne and Hal Prince singing his songs?

Also, I really like the idea of them not being great singers! I like watching the song writers, like Strouse, who's not a great piano player, not a great singer. You get so much heart and so much emotion in those couple of hours. It's a different kind of evening. Cabaret really is a great love of mine. 

I recently saw Anne Reid at the Crazy Coqs. Now Anne is a great example of someone and she won't mind me saying this, who really is not a great singer. But she's a great actress, and therefore a great story-teller. 

JB:    What are your thoughts on the younger cabaret artistes, as compared to those who do cabaret on the back of longer established careers? 

DB:    What you get from young artists, that you may not get from the older people, is new material. You do get the younger people, they'll find a song from a failed musical. You think, "Oh isn't that beautiful." They can be full of surprises.

But of course the more seasoned a performer is, the more they've got more to draw on and of course you can feel for them too. You are close up. So when you see a person in their 60's and 70's singing a song about years gone by or missed opportunities, you cannot help but be moved. It is very touching when you see Anne Reid, who's I don't know nearly 80 now, singing a Barbara Cook song. You get the goosebumps. And as I said about Charles Strouse, when he went into The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow, I mean, god almighty it was phenomenal!

I saw Mitch Winehouse at the Hippodrome a few weeks ago, Amy’s dad. He really put through with about a 12 piece orchestra, and he was terrific. So interesting and of course lots of anecdotes about Amy. It was very personal and also very touching. 

JB:    So – is it about the songs or the story-telling?

DB:    Being a lyric writer I've always gone for the story teller. It's interesting because Tony Bennett's favourite singer and he’s often said this and it says a lot, is Louis Armstrong. Sinatra's favourite singer was Fred Astaire. These people aren't known for singing but they are known for storytelling. You hang on every word when these people sing. That's what I like about cabaret, you don't have to be the greatest singer, but you just have to get your story across. That's why with people like Lorna Luft, you hang on every comma. 

JB: Don, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, and enjoy the Festival!

Aside from cabaret, Don also spoke at length about his song-writing career and part 2 of this fascinating conversation will be published shortly.

The London Festival Of Cabaret – Celebrating Song opens on 28th April and continues at venues across the capital until 11th May. Confirmed artists appearing include Kerry Ellis, Barb Jungr, Janie Dee and Scott Alan (amongst many others) and you can also watch some of today’s younger stars such as Jamie Parker and Caroline Sheen branching out onto the capital’s cabaret circuit. 

www.londonfestivalofcabaret.com

www.londonfestivalofcabaret.com/diary/

John G Smith Trio - Review

***

John G Smith

The John G Smith Trio are a relatively new addition (albeit comprised of some fabulously experienced talent) to London’s jazz and cabaret circuit and it was a full Crazy Coqs that welcomed their debut late night gig.

With Smith on piano and occasional vocals. James Graydon on guitar and singing too and Zoltan Dekany on acoustic bass, the evening was billed as a humorous rediscovery of songs by Billy Joel, Paul Simon and others. Whilst Joel’s tunes were given a sometimes intelligent re-working, with an opening mash up of And So It Goes with The Longest Time that will have tickled the eardrums of the star’s cognoscenti in the audience, some of the jazz work missed its mark. Joel’s gorgeous number from his Turnstiles collection, New York State Of Mind was not only re-arranged, its tempo was brutally speeded up too. In so doing, much of the song’s delicate beauty  was lost. 

Also, Smith had decided to eschew all of Joel’s lyrics. On reflection this was probably a wise call, given that the words would no longer have scanned to fit the revised beats that Smith had imposed. But even more intriguingly, the pianist had then decided to include the lyrics of a handful of songs that he and Graydon had composed and which were dedicated to / inspired by their respective loving partners. Great idea, but the homegrown words proved as cheesy as they were sincere. If you’re going to strip out Joel’s poetry from your set list, then it’s a tad disingenuous to subject a captive audience to your own scribblings, anodyne in comparison to Joel’s balladeer-ing brilliance. 

That being said – there were moments of genius on the night. All three musicians were a joy to behold, with Dekany’s fabulous fingerwork in Horace Silver’s Sister Sadie defining the purest of talents. When they were joined, sadly for one number only, by jazz violinist Michael Keelan who had hot-footed it over from the Drury Lane orchestra pit, the passionate Chick Corea inspired collaboration set the room alight. 

The two-act set makes for some charming entertainment – but it needs work. The Billy Joel compositions deserve more than the current re-engineering into muzak and if the band are going to hint at humour on the flyer, then they need to deliver on the night. Though, with a musical craftsmanship (and pedigree) that cannot be faulted, The John G Smith Trio have every chance of developing into a vibrant feature of the capital’s jazz scene.

Beneath The Dress - Review

Crazy Coqs, London

****

Back by popular demand, Frances Ruffelle brought her song cycle of a show, Beneath The Dress, to a packed out Crazy Coqs for two nights only.

In what was to prove an eclectic, coquette-ick whirl, Ruffelle ‘s one-woman one-act set drew on a collection of mainstream and left field numbers from both sides of the Atlantic. In parts whimsical and reflective, at other times outrageously celebratory, those who know the singer well may perhaps recognise the moments that she has suggested hint at autobiography.

Ruffelle’s entrance through the crowd offered a provocative wit, with the singer soon into one of her own compositions, Hit Me With A Hot Note, proving she not only possesses one of the most gorgeously controlled and distinctively timbred voices around, her writing is neat too.

Above all, Ruffelle is one of those uber-talented women who defines the craft of acting through song. The students of today need to watch her and learn, as she imbues just the right amount of melancholy into Rodgers and Hart’s Ten Cents A Dance, whilst her take on Lilac Wine the James Shelton 1950 classic and made famous in turn (depending upon your age) by Nina Simone, Elkie Brooks and latterly Katie Melua, was revelatory. Ruffelle understands her songs intimately, coaxing newly discovered nuance and poignancy from numbers we thought we knew well.

The unpredictability to the set list mirrored Ruffelle’s cutely distinctive persona. Tom Waits’ Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis is probably not often heard amidst the art-deco swirls of the Crazy Coqs, likewise the car crash of a number that is Coffee from See What I See. Each though added to the confection of reflection that made up the night.

The show wouldn’t have been complete without a nod to Ruffelle’s most celebrated creation, Les Miserables’ Eponine and with several tributes to Piaf throughout the evening, including an enchanting mash up that saw Piaf’s classic Hymn To Love segueing in and out of Les Mis’ On My Own, it is clear to see Ruffelle has a metier that's firmly rooted in the entente cordiale.

David Barber’s five piece band were excellent in support and as ever, producer Danielle Tarento’s commitment to excellence had ensured a polished turn. Beneath The Dress show has already toured widely and these two nights were not enough. Ruffelle fills the venue, not just with an audience but a gorgeous ambience too – The Crazy Coqs should get her back soon.

Beneath The Dress with Frances Ruffelle

Frances Ruffelle returns to London's Crazy Coqs at the end of this week for two nights only. Reprising her acclaimed one-woman show Beneath The Dress, it is no surprise that her Friday night gig is already sold out with only a handful of tickets remaining for Saturday.

Amidst rehearsals and preparation, I caught up with Frances for a brief chat about the show.

JB:    Please tell me, what was the inspiration for Beneath The Dress? 

FR:    Basically I just put together a show that was about myself in a way, but also about situations that I associate with, or singers who I love, or songs that I have been influenced by and songs with situations that I associate with as well. And also it just simply celebrates women who love to entertain. 

It's really a song cycle more than a cabaret, a story of one woman, but a lot of people when they are watching it, think I am playing different characters. It's one woman going through her life and starting out as young and excited, with her whole life in front of her and the set evolves into a much more jaded older woman at the end who is basically having to come to terms with stuff and accept life as it is.

JB:    Is there an autobiographical inspiration to the show? 

FR:    Not exactly. But there are moments of me in the show that my friends will recognise. 

JB:    What is the history of the show? 

FR:    I first did it at Madame JoJo's actually and then I did it in Edinburgh about five years ago. I’ve done it in New York, in Poland, a lot of places. I’d sort of felt as if the show was in my past and I didn't expect to be doing it again, but then Ruth Leon at the Crazy Coqs who hadn't seen it, said “Hey how about coming back to the Crazy Coqs and doing Beneath the Dress because I would like to see it”. So here I am!

I’ve added three or four different songs because I thought it would be great for audiences that have seen it before to have something else, and I actually think these songs help tell the story even more. I have refined it.

JB:    Without expecting you to give away any secrets, where do the songs derive from, is it shows, is it the songbooks?

FR:    From absolutely everywhere. From Cole Porter to Tom Waits, to Jacques Brel. I also have also some lyrics that I have written myself.

JB:    How big is your band?

FR:    We have got four pieces, we might have five we are not sure yet. I am going to decide that with David Barber, my MD. Originally the show had a six-piece band, but that's too much for the Crazy Coqs. Making sure that the show perfectly fits the venue is very important to me.

JB:    And who is producing or directing you?

FR:    Well Danielle Tarento always produces me and originally I had taken direction from Paul Baker. Paul and I have played opposite each other three times in three different productions including my Roxy to his Amos in the West End. He directed me at the Edinburgh Festival and has been really really helpful and amazing as Beneath The Dress has evolved. Funnily enough, I am going to be directing his one man show later this year as well.

JB:    I recall that in your last appearance at the Crazy Coqs in your Paris Original cabaret, the show included several gorgeous costume changes. How many changes of dress make up Beneath The Dress?

FR:    [laughs] Four!

JB:    Sounds fabulous and I am looking forward to seeing the show. Thanks so much for sparing the time to talk!


Frances Ruffelle performs in Beneath The Dress at the Crazy Coqs on Friday April 10 (sold out) and Saturday April 11