“A Cole Porter Symphonette” is what Jeff Harnar calls his Metropolitan Room debut as he welcomed his eager audience. Jeff’s style can only be interpreted as let me make love to you in his soft, debonair and adept manner.  His lithe and appealing voice thrives on attention to lyric efficiency. “Night and Day” and “Let's Do It, Let’s Fall in Love” reach out to each individual so the feeling is someone so comfortable within himself that the warmth and intimacy immediately puts you at ease. With his sweet boyish grin, Jeff fulfills so many of the adjectives cabaret aficionados crave: charming, witty, clever, dreamy and swoony. We’re putty in the hands of a real pro!

“I’m Throwing a Ball Tonight” from Panama Hattie’(Ethel Merman) gives Jeff a platform for fun and when a performer is having fun, we all want to be at the party. Born to Dance (1936) produced the lilting “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and that same year Porter, while writing Broadway’s Red, Hot and Blue, sailed off on a world cruise with Moss Hart and Monte Wooley for inspiration. As they were served an exotic fruit platter, Porter said ‘delightful,’ Hart ‘delicious’ and guess what Wooley said?  And so was born the gem “It’s DeLovely.” Consummate Director Sara Louise Lazarus is aware that the audience is taken care of at every moment as Harnar makes a slowly paced 180 degree turn, engaging everyone in the plentiful "DeLovely" lyrics. And dats only part of de story!  The show starred Merman, Hope and Durante and Jeff’s version of “Little Skipper” is a very competent impression of Durante together with some little known patter the Schnozz  incorporated. Jeff is full of surprises as he skips skillfully around and through the heady lyrics. . . skipper, nipper, dripper. 

Cole Porter’s life was one of privilege overlaid with a complexity of textures and his genius for writing love songs far from ordinary. Porter says: “I spent my life desperately escaping boredom.” In turn, we escape as well with love songs “You Do Something To Me,” “You’ve Got That Thing,” the little known “You Can Do No Wrong,” “Let’s Not Talk About Love.”  The interweaving of the Friendship Medley is just one of several arranging feats by master Musical Director Alex Rybeck (sung with Jeff) “You’re The Top,” “What A Swell Party,” “Ought To Be You.”  Encore “Can Can” offered up a bowl of deliciously humorous lyrics including ‘if an Afghan can and crowded sardines in a tin can, can. ‘  As the song “At Long Last Love” says: ‘Is it a real Porterhouse or only a steak?’ This show is the real Porterhouse! Go, go, go! With additional accompaniment by Mark Minkler on bass.

Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
May 29, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org