Marlene Dietrich, Josephine Baker, and Jane Birkin were undeniably unique performers, with Dietrich's blunt directness, Baker's magnetic energy, the baby doll Birkin -- all exotic and each compelling. Micaela Leon, a tall, blonde, actress/singer born in Germany, celebrates the sensuous songs made famous by the singers' charisma, in her new show, Trance Atlantic, at the Metropolitan Room.

Leon, like her three inspirations, was compelled to travel across the Atlantic to a new country, new city, and new expansive, sometimes risky adventures. Jane Birkin is the exception who just crossed the English Channel, from London to Paris. Using this introspective concept, Micaela Leon's acting talents compensate for her singing. She slinks into the room evoking the Marlene Dietrich look, smooth long blonde hair and man-tailored white suit. She sings her first song a cappella, Patrick Farrell following closely on accordion. This is not an effective entree for Leon, who has a light breathy soprano voice without much volume, a problem heightened by the accordion.

Once onstage, she slips out of her white jacket and slacks to reveal a silky black dress. A slick move and the sort of thing her idols would have appreciated. The lovely Leon uses body language and theatricality to put across songs like "You've Got That Look," Dietrich's signature from Destry Rides Again, and a snappy Josephine Baker medley of "I Love Dancing," "That Certain Feeling" and "Ram Pam Pam" -- no bananas but plenty of shimmy. Taking theatricality to its peak is her sexy, amusing, "Je T-Aime… Moi Non Plus," a Birkin hit from 1969. Hint -- think of the deli scene in When Harry Met Sally. Leon points out that the song was condemned by the Vatican, which probably boosted its popularity. Leon also illustrates Birkin's airy, '60s French pop sound with "Quoi?."

Other ballads include "J'Ai Deux Amours" and "C'est Lui," made famous by Josephine Baker, but Leon's vocals generally present little nuance and a flat volume. She comes closest to interpretation with "Illusions," accompanied only by Uli Geissendoerfer's piano, a song sung by Dietrich in A Foreign Affair.

In her opening show, Leon seemed tentative with her patter. She evokes the sensuality of Dietrich, Baker, and Birkin, but not much of their allure, transmitting a blase lack of energy in most of her material. Her theatricality and creativeness were far better served in her previous show, Tigers, Muses and Jasmine.

Micaela Leon's Trance Atlantic performs at the Metropolitan Room on September 21 and 28, and October 12 and 19.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
September 21, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org