Image: supplied
Lucy Maunder and pianist Isaac Hayward bring us bitter-sweet, no-holds-barred Berlin. The show is not a cabaret where the artist’s personal life is woven about the song list. Lucy Maunder rather guides us with sharp and concisely described references through the historical, emotional and physical backdrop to Berlin’s compositions.
The early decades of twentieth century New York are brought to life in this diverse performance. Maunder sings and acts with supreme control and with a fine connection to both the lyrics and audience. In this way the excitement of band clubs such as the Bowery Ballroom during the prohibition era and the plight of locals looking for love in the neighbourhood are colourfully communicated.
We are entertained with elegance, poise, well-placed humour and animated characterisation at all times. The show is effectively lit, transforming us from the Hayes Theatre venue to a myriad of stages, clubs, streets and yearning hearts. The songs, whether major Irving Berlin classics or lesser known gems are sung with great clarity of diction and energised with economical, slick gestures.
There are satisfying shifts in feeling from song to song and a decent display of stylistic contrast in the chosen sample of Irving Berlin’s music. With expansive and full arrangements, hits are well presented. Maunder effortlessly carves through Berlin’s considerable complexity of phrasing and rhythmic manipulation, ensuring a smooth forward direction results.
A beautifully restrained version of ‘What’ll I Do?’ is a highlight of the performance’s more searching personal moments. Other songs exploit Maunder’s flexibility of range and nuance. More upbeat and comic songs such as ‘I Love a Piano’ make for a knife-edge change of mood in the program.
Moments such as ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ and ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band’ are vividly prefaced with snippets of social history. The delivery supports this background and gives a convincingly illustration of Berlin’s potential for incisive insights. Cynicism and subtle mockery of the social status quo, peculiarities of human nature or intolerance of any pretence in the environment are all deliciously hinted at in this tribute to Berlin’s musical commentary.
The musical direction by Isaac Hayward makes for a compact yet stunning event. His piano playing and accompanying is a highlight of the event.The atmosphere and tight script from Nicholas Christo enables the music to continually feature and be linked with succinct introduction rather than the distraction of rambling and sometimes unrelated talk spots found in some entertainments.
Even though this celebration of various shades of the composer covers only a fraction of his output, the keen focus of both vocalist and pianist ensures our one-hour tribute experience still feels complete. The atmosphere conjured up on the stage and our trip back in time is convincing and as genuine as Irving Berlin’s expression itself.
Irving Berlin: Songs in the Key of Black
Hayes Theatre, Potts Point
Until 12 April, 2015
