Saturday 29th June 2013
It is not often you see two legends of musical theatre
performing on stage together, but it certainly felt that way last night
watching Judy & Liza at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre. Performing as one of the most famous
mother-daughter duos of all time, Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli (as if you
hadn’t guessed), Lucy Williamson and Emma Dears managed to bring these two
extraordinary performers to life.
The show has been created by Emma Dears, who in bearing such
a physical resemblance to Liza has surely been destined to play the part. If she has been practicing her whole life it
has paid off, having perfected the voice, mannerisms and even smile of Minnelli
to the extent that it feels more than just impersonation. The image of her walking on stage to perform ‘Maybe
This Time’ is particularly striking. Likewise,
Lucy Williamson recreates the rich, powerful voice of Garland coupled with the
wit, charisma and stage presence, as evidenced particularly in the palpable
sense of excitement generated in the audience at the start of Act Two (no spoilers!).
Accompanied by Simon Beck on piano it is a very well
conceived production, with the duo’s famous 1964 Palladium concert acting as a centrepiece
and utilising photographs, video footage and narration to tell their respective
life stories. With a wealth of material
to draw on, Dears has chosen songs to complement the narration and in doing so
you get a varied set list plus a fresh perspective on iconic numbers such as ‘Over the Rainbow’ and ‘Cabaret’. Indeed, it is in these two songs that
Williamson and Dears are at their best; with a haunting, reflective quality to
the former and a powerhouse performance of the latter to literally bring the
curtain down.
There are moments to make you laugh and to cry; ‘Sorry I
Asked’ & ‘Smile’ were given heartbreaking poignancy by the context in which
they were performed but the infectious ‘The Trolley Song’ and witty ‘Liza With A
Z’ can’t fail to make you smile. With
both Williamson & Dears remaining entirely in character throughout, they
capture the affection and warmth between the two and even if you know every
detail of their lives, the narration and performances are perfectly balanced to
please both ardent fans and newcomers alike.
It was clear that the audience was enthralled and following
a full standing ovation I overheard many superlative-laden conversations. Alas,
this was the last night of the tour, but with such a strong reaction from the
audience I can’t imagine it is the last we will see of the show and I would
certainly go back for more!
No comments:
Post a Comment