THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT To 16 January.
Salisbury.
THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT
compiled by Stuart Hutchinson narration by Kit Hesketh-Harvey.
Salisbury Playhouse (Salberg Studio) Malthouse Lane SP2 7RA To 16 January 2010.
Mon–Sat 8.00 pm Mat 17 Dec, 7, 9, 14, 16 Jant 3pm,
no performance 24-26 Dec, 1-2 Jan.
Runs 2hr One interval.
TICKETS: 01722 320333.
www.salisburyplayhouse.com
Review: Mark Courtice 17 December.
A treat for Jerome Kern fans.
Kit Hesketh Harvey's narration bravely quotes Jerome Kern advising that people should not try telling his life story, as it was far too dull - before he goes on to do just that.
"Just play the music the way I wrote it," Kern suggested instead, and wisely compiler/MD Stuart Hutchinson does so, with nearly 50 Kern songs over the course of a sophisticated evening in celebration of the master show-tunesmith.
There is another challenge for the anthologist in that Kern wrote fantastic tunes, but they were all doing a job, as part of a musical, surrounded by plot, character, costumes and a chorus line. Here, with a company of three, a piano and three shiny red stools the songs have to stand up on their own. It's a tribute to Kern's skill that many of them do.
It's a tribute as well to the company, accompanied by Hutchinson on the piano. They are all actors (the sort of people who Kern preferred to sing his songs because they get the emotion right) but they can sing. Andrew Halliday does lounge-singer charm, Hannah Robertson kooky sweetness and Jacqueline Boatswain swings, as they all work very hard to keep things light, charming and interesting.
This is probably a show for the die-hard Kern fan, as two hours is a long time to listen to one voice, however ingeniously arranged and presented. It offers a classy alternative to panto for those who don’t want to sing along, and an eye-opening tour of the work of a Master of the particular art of the American musical - even if he was probably right about that life story.
Cast: Jacqueline Boatswain, Andrew Halliday, Hannah Robertson.
Director: Simon Green.
Lighting: Dave Marsh.
Choreographer: Alexandra Worrall.
2009-12-21 08:43:38