Barbara Cook & Friends

Last night Chris took me to see Barbara Cook at The Coliseum. It was a World AIDS Day benefit concert with Barbara and some of her friends putting on a show which also coincided with her 80th birthday - and she's looking good on it. Now, Chris is the fan and the expert and if you want a proper, informed review, head over here. If you want my impressions, keep reading...

I don't know much about Barbara and I was only introduced to her a few years ago on her last concert shows in London, so I'm a novice, but I like her voice. She has a very pure voice and a simple singing style, no bells or whistles, no diva up and down the scales for the sake of it, and that might be one reason why she is such a good interpreter of songs - she lets the song tell its own story and we all sit rapt with attention listening to her voice as the song unfolds. I was so impressed with her voice when I first saw her that I had to go out and get her latest CD at the time, a collection of Broadway standards. And that's what we got last night as well, a lot of show tunes interspersed with Barbara's calm chatting inbetween songs, telling us about the songs or why she likes it or where she was when she first heard it.

Barbara came on to do some songs and then started introducing her friends for them to do turns. We'd already heard the voice of Nicholas Parsons as the compere and the first guest was Sian Philips who proceeded to do a comedy number (a Noel Coward song, I think) which was quite amusing. Others came on afterwards, most of whom I've no idea who they are despite being introduced by Mr Parsons as West End stars, one and all.

Daniel Evans came on and did a song - he has a nice voice and presence and is opening on Broadway shortly in 'Sunday In The Park With George' (which I saw him do at the Chocolate Factory). Unfortunately I also associate him with the run of nasty plays I saw earlier this year in one of which he was an unrepentant wife-beater. On the plus side, he was also a central character in 'Grand Hotel', a wonderful musical Chris introduced me to at the Donmar Warehouse in 2004.

The other 'name' was Elaine Paige who had the honour of two songs. The first one was ok (I think it was originally a duet with Barbara Dickson?) but then she did 'Cry Me A River' which didn't work at all. She did the big overacting thing in an attempt to wring emotion from it and, to my ears, fell totally flat.

As for the others, they were quite entertaining but I have no idea who they are. I also suspect that 'friends' is something of a misnomer - I wonder how many had even met Barbara before the afternoon rehearsal? There was a fun 'Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend' and a couple of big song and dance scenes with lots of leaping around. I got annoyed with her pianist a couple of times since he was also the conductor and kept leaping to his feet to wave his arms around and I found that rather distracting.

Barbara closed the show with one last song, just her and the piano and no microphone. At first I thought she'd forgotten to bring the mic when she came back on stage but no-one came running out with it. Just her voice in that large space, everyone silent and listening to the lovely sound she makes when she opens her mouth. That was a definite highlight. I hesitate to wonder how many of the others on stage that night could have projected their voices so effortlessly?

Then, of course, everyone came on for a final round of 'Happy Birthday' for the great lady with the audience on its feet joining in. Including me.