JOHN BARROWMAN in Aalst, Belgium - 12th of July 2005
Presented by Musical Solo Productions
REVIEW FROM BELGIUM'S Daily National paper, De Morgen
English Translation by Thomas Van der Spiegel
Cabaret - John Barrowman in Aalst ***** (5 stars = the top) EFFORTLESS PERFECTION - Barrowman promised an evening as if we were sitting in his living room, in fact only a drink and some sweets lacked to reach that.
As for the encore the audience was allowed to choose from 2 songs. "Both" the public decided, not wanting to let John Barrowman go. Not after an evening 'fijnproeven' (expression used when for instance food is more than delicious, and together of strong quality). When you go to see John Barrowman - whether it's a role in a show, play or film, it's rarely the question whether his performance will be good, but how good he will be this time. Since his cabaret performance - cabaret like in Britain, not to be confused with cabaret in our country - we certainly have a better view of seventh heaven.
Face a large community with the name John Barrowman, and you'll get the answer: 'John who?'. Born as Scot and raised in the US he made it to become one of the biggest West End and Broadway stars who also broke through on the silver screen and on TV. Maybe you saw him in the Cole Porter biopic, De-Lovely or as Captain Jack in the recent Dr Who series, or in the b-movie Shark Attack III, a role he admits in his cabaret was a cash-in-hand-job. But namely within the musical theatre scène he is known from leading roles in hit shows as Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard and the magnificent National Theatre production, Anything Goes.
Barrowman shows himself during his cabaret as the type of entertainer that immediately makes his audience feel comfortable. Dressed casually ("I forgot my shoes, that's why I'm not wearing a suit") he shakes the evening easy from the sleeve ("We are here to have fun") and he isn't embarrassed to ask whether someone in the audience can open the window, or to admit that he lost the tune/pitch for a moment - inferred by the close church bells. He interlaid that with personal anecdotes about his profession, about 9/11 ("Don't hate the Americans, blame their government") and the attacks in London, and some double entendres and interacts with his audience.
This natural ease also appears in his voice. Accompanied excellently by his pianist Beverly Holt, Barrowman sails through a plethora of classic showtunes and romantic songs, like 'Love Changes Everything' from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, ASPECTS OF LOVE, where the evening begins, until the technical difficult finale 'Marry Me a Little' from Stephen Sondheim's, COMPANY. That proceeds in the even more demanding 'Being Alive' from the same show.
Effortlessly Barrowman controls his voice with perfection. The way for instance words like 'Plymouth Rock' reached the room in 'Anything Goes' were a result of controlled Broadway power. Also no bad remarks on interpretation, because Barrowman knows his material. Whether it is Scotland's poet Robert Burns, or all American George M. Cohan; the lochs suit him as much as 42nd Street.
WHERE AND WHEN Tuesday 12th July, Feestzaal stadhuis Aalst. Info on upcoming cabarets in Aalst:
www.musicalsolo.com
*** - Webmaster's note: This concert was performed acoustically, without benefit of any microphones.