Karen Akers provided a cabaret component to the Kander and Ebb Festival at Arlington VA’s Signature Theater with her show, First You Dream: The Songs of Kander & Ebb. 

Signature’s “Ark” performance space was filled with small round tables and chairs, turning the black box theater into an intimate cabaret boite.  Akers entered, looking ravishingly chic in a brightly patterned bustier with a beige bolero jacket and slacks.

I’d never seen Akers performing in an intimate venue before.  Her first song, "Don’t Tell Mama," blew me away with her wit, her command of the material, and her ability to find interesting, unique moments in a well-known song. And her second song, "Walking Papers," from The Act, was also charming.

Things fell apart during the always-critical third number, a brilliantly-constructed medley of "Walking Among My Yesterdays," "The Happy Time," and "Familiar Things."  After an unsuccessful attempt to be cued by her music director (the amazing Don Rebic), she resorted to carrying the lyric.

Problems with lyrics in the next song, "Isn’t This Better," caused Akers to apologize to the audience, attributing problems to jet-lag, having recently flown in from London.  The show then became a fascinating roller coaster.  Akers demonstrated the advantages of experience and professionalism, fighting back and getting the audience on-board during the middle segment of the show.  She had lyric problems throughout the evening, and at least half the songs had a flub of some sort, even "Cabaret."  She dwindled toward the end, and after skipping a verse of "Colored Lights," cut her announced eleven-o’clock number ("Yes").  She didn’t perform an encore, and I have never seen a major cabaret performer look so happy to get off stage.

Akers interpretations are clearly well thought-out. Anything that could be planned, arranged, or studied was brilliant. Her pairings of "Not Enough Magic" with "First You Dream" and "There When I Need Him" with "Maybe This Time" are inspired.  Her slowed-down "Coffee in a Cardboard Cup" makes one hear the words again with a 21^st Century meaning.  And she provides a master class in how to fill the non-singing space in a song with thought and emotional intensity. 

Don Rebic provided yeoman support all evening, and Jon Nazdin’s bass certainly enhanced the musical atmosphere.  And in the ever-continuing lesson that cabaret has to be experienced to be judged, Akers is such a compelling performer in person that her vocal idiosyncrasies, so apparent on CD, vanish when seeing her live.

I saw the first of eight shows.  I sincerely hope that Akers manages to work the kinks out for the rest of her run – both for her own sake and the sake of her audience.

Other events in Signature Theater’s Kander and Ebb Festival include productions of Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Happy Time, and The Visit (featuring Chita Rivera); a moderated conversation with John Kander; dance performances; and movie screenings.  More information is available at www.sig-online.org.

Michael Miyazaki
Cabaret Scenes
March 11, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org