Don Black's From The Heart - Review

Garrick Theatre, London

*****

Lyrics by Don Black

Directed by Nick Winston

The cast of One From The Heart

It is a rare show indeed that can translate the intimacy of a cabaret venue onto a West End Stage. Don Black however pulls it off in style, with From The Heart, a revue of his work that has been 30 years in the making and which now plays at the Garrick Theatre for the next 10 days.

In an evening of simply charming excellence, five stars of musical theatre deliver a five-star selection of Black’s cabaret-inspired compositions, many of which are likely to be unfamiliar to the audience, but, as the show’s title number suggests are all written from the heart. And as that title number’s lyrics explain, a song can frequently tell more in its 32 bars and three minutes then either a book, a film or a play.

Don Black introduces each song with the patter that one would expect from an evening of fine cabaret. At 88 it is possibly unfair to expect Black to tread the boards each night to deliver these intros and so in a neat twist of artistic flair, his spiels have been pre-recorded. Black’s pre-music career was as a stand-up comedian and it is clear that this boy from Hackney still possesses a gift for spotting the wry humour of the world around him, a gift that makes his speeches sparkle and his lyrics soar.

The quintet kick off the evening with From The Heart before Clive Rowe takes over with the gloriously satirical Doctors, a spoof that needs to be heard to be believed. Next up, Michael D. Xaver sung Me Too, carrying a humour that resembled Cole Porter in its sharp cynicism. In a moment (one of many) of self-revelation, Black shared with the audience that his sole bucket-list dream was to have a revue such as this play on a West End stage. This provided the perfect intro Frances Mayli McCann singing I’ve A Hundred Things To Do Before I Die. Caroline O’Connor then shone as a waitress in The Reluctant Star. Later in the evening Shona McGarty was to excel in the beautifully bluesy Things A Lady Shoudn’t  Do.

Black had added a handful of duetted and trio numbers into his setlist. Rowe and Xavier singing Fizzy or Still, two reformed alcoholics contemplating the merits of different bottled waters echoed the style of Bing Crosby and Dean Martin’s Well Did You Evah?. The three ladies combined to sing Straight Men, a hilarious lament on the lack of said gentlemen in their lives.

The evening wasn’t all frivolity. Black’s wife Shirley died 8 years ago following a marriage that had lasted nearly an incredible 60 years. It is an understatement to say that she remains much missed, but it is a mark of Black’s songwriting craft that he could channel his grief into lyrics. As Clive Rowe sung I’d Go To Bed Earlier, the bittersweet poignancy of the lyrics was tangible.

The show’s run will see a surprise guest take to the stage each night. For the opening night Michael Ball sang Love Changes Everything from Aspects of Love marking 37 years since he first sang the song in the show’s London premiere.

Black’s most famous numbers formed the show's finale. McGarty got the ball rolling with Diamonds Are Forever before all the cast joined her for a medley of Black’s Bond themes. A lighting tricolore of red, white and green washed the stage for Getta Bloomin' Move On! (The Self Preservation Society) from the movie The Italian Job before Clive Rowe gave his trademark sweetness to Ben, a song originally recorded by Michael Jackson. Rowe also performed a beautiful (if repeated) Love Changes Everything, though at least for the rest of the run Rowe will not have been preceded by Michael Ball! Michael D. Xavier delivered a thrilling Sunset Boulevard as from the same show, Caroline O’Connor briefly took the roof off the Garrick with her sensational snatch of As If We Never Said Goodbye.

Throughout Nick Winston's stylishly visualised production the music was elegantly and flawlessly played by Joseph Curch on keyboards and Oliver Copeland on bass. Don Black himself came on stage to take a bow before the curtain came down - and the plan is for him to repeat this during the run. 

From The Heart is an evening of glorious cabaret that celebrates the musical love of one of our finest lyricists!

Runs until 18th October

Photo credit: Eamonn B Shanahan

Maria Friedman: From The Heart - Review

Queen Elizabeth Hall, London


***

Maria Friedman

Maria Friedman’s new one woman show is titled From The Heart and thank heavens for that, as during this evening’s gig at a packed Queen Elizabeth Hall it appeared that her songs were emanating from anywhere but her usually sensational voice. 

One of the most gifted musical theatre performers of her generation, Friedman battled a singing problem throughout the evening and while her acting through song was flawless, her vocals were scratched and strained. If ever there was a night for stepping back from the microphone, this was it, With a set list including numbers as massive as Sondheim's Being Alive, Losing My Mind, Send In The Clowns and even The Beach Boys’ God Only Knows, there was nowhere to hide her fractured pipes.

To be fair, there were occasional moments of sublime talent. Theo Jamieson’s piano accompaniment was perfect throughout and in a recent nod to her Golde in Fiddler On The Roof, Darius Luke Thompson, that show’s eponymous fiddler, popped up for a virtuoso violin take on the show’s key melodies that was breathtaking in its genius.

As an encore, Friedman reprised her comic take on West Side Story’s Officer Krupke, a number that this blog last reviewed at her Pheasantry cabaret some 6 years ago. Back then she was brilliant and hilarious - here, the shtick was clumsy. 

We all know Friedman is way better than tonight’s performance - Fane Productions should ensure that she is well rested before the show is aired again.

Photo credit: Danny Kaan