Reviewed by Joe Regan Jr.
Aug. 20, 2012
Since 2008 Richard Holbrook has done several cabaret programs celebrating the songs of Burton Lane, but his latest, now appearing at the Metropolitan Room in New York, is the best ever. First, Holbrook who has always had a beautiful voice, has matured and is singing at the top of his game. Elegantly dressed in a tuxedo (and his musical director pianist Tom Nelson, bassist Tom Kirchmer and drummer Peter Grant also in tuxedos), handsome Holbrook demonstrates class, a quality too few cabaret performers possess. The act is tastefully directed throughout by Richard Barclay.
On opening night in the sold out room were elegantly dressed cabaret singers and many members of the Noel Coward Society, as well as Burton Lane’s widow. An overture featuring “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever,” brilliantly played by the Tom Nelson Trio leads into Holbrook’s entrance into the room from the back, singing sans microphone, greeting friends in the audience but once he reaches the stage “On A Clear Day” segues into “Every Night at Seven,” (both lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner). It’s a great combination and is the first of many superb blends. He is lyric perfect with the tongue twisting lyrics to “Hurry It’s Lovely Up Here.” Sitting on a stool, he gives Lane biographical information: how at 16 he became friends with George and Ira Gershwin and they remained friends throughout their lives although he didn’t write with Ira until much later. Then in the purest voice, he gives voice to one of Lane’s philosophies, an exquisite “Look To the Rainbow” from Lane and E. Y. Harburg’s greatest Broadway hit, Finian’s Rainbow.
Voodoo drums introduced a song that Lane did write with Ira Gershwin, “Applause, Applause” from the MGM film Give a Girl A Break.
Lane began toiling in vaudeville when he was only 17 writing special material. He met Harold Adamson in 1929 and three songs with lyrics by Adamson were sung in succession: “Your Head on My Shoulder,” a real find from Eddie Cantor’s Kid Millions, which Holbrook sang so tenderly, “Look Who’s Here,” and “Heigh Ho, The Gang’s All Here” from Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe.
In 1933 Lane wrote “Everything I Have Is Yours” for the Joan Crawford hit Dancing Lady which also featured Fred Astaire. It was Lane who recommended to Louis B. Mayer he hire Frances Gumm (Judy Garland) and for the rest of her life whenever she saw him, Garland always paid tribute to him, saying she owed everything to him, every success she had. There was a selection of songs from the Garland-Rooney movies: “Babes on Broadway” and “How About You,” (with its original lyrics.) Lane received his first Oscar nomination for Best Song for “How About You.”
Holbrook paired “Everything I Have Is Yours” (Adamson) with another real discovery, “It Happens Ev’ry Time” (lyrics by Ira Gershwin,) also from Give A Girl A Break and Holbrook’s performance was a revelation. There were four songs joyfully sung in tandem that Lane wrote with Frank Loesser: “Dancing on a Dime,” “I Hear Music,” “How ‘dya Like To Love Me” and “The Lady’s In Love with You” (with its multiple choruses full of 1939 references).
Lane and Harburg returned to New York to work on Finian’s Rainbow. He wrote forty drafts for the opening song but was unsatisfied with all of them. One day Harburg insisted he play all of them. He played the first one and Harburg stopped him: “How Are Things In Glocca Morra” was written that afternoon. Holbrook did the best male version I have ever heard of this standard, certainly equal to Ella Logan’s original version.
At MGM, Lane teamed with Lerner for the first time for Royal Wedding. Holbrook ecstatically sang “You’re All the World To Me,” the song Astaire sang dancing on the ceiling and a hysterically funny “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You” singing both Astaire and Jane Powell’s parts. This was immediately followed by Holbrook, with only piano accompaniment, softly singing an extraordinary heart-breaking “Too Late Now,” which elicited Bravos from the full house. The trio segued into “What Did I Have That I Don’t Have” and a stunning “She Wasn’t You.”
Holbrook paid homage to Lane and Lerner’s last show, the flop Carmelina with a full version of “Once More Around the Garden” as Holbrook noted the most recent revival, returned with piano only to “Look To The Rainbow.” The encore was two more songs from Finian’s, “There’s A Great Day Comin’ Manana and “That Great Come and Get It Day,” with the full trio given great solos. Holbrook exited singing another encore of “On A Clear Day.” He must record this show! I urge everyone to see it even if you have seen Holbrook’s earlier shows. It is a great tribute to Burton Lane’s multi-faceted song writing career.
Richard Holbrook Sings Burton Lane A Centennial Celebration repeats at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22 Street, Monday August 27 at 7 PM, Wednesday September 12 at 9:30 PM, and Thursday, September 13, 9:30 PM. For reservations please call (212) 206-0440
Posted by Sandi Durell
on August 24, 2012. Filed under Cabaret,Cabaret and Interviews - Sandi Durell,COLUMNS,ENTERTAIMENT.
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