No, it’s not Richard Burton on whom Richard Holbrook focuses his show, although the title cleverly catches your attention. It’s songwriter Burton Lane, one of America’s great tunesmiths, whose songs were graced by the lyrics of equally gifted writers. The Burton Lane songbook provides Holbrook a treasure trove of treasured songs, and Richard Sings Burton uses them well.

Most of Burton Lane’s songs were written for Broadway or the films, although so many of them have become standards that the derivation is almost irrelevant.  Does it matter that “Old Devil Moon” came from Finian’s Rainbow or “Everything I Have Is Yours” from the MGM musical, Dancing Lady? 

The variety of songs by Burton Lane gives the show pleasing changes of pace, from Holbrook’s simpatico rendition of the performers’ anthem, “Applause, Applause,” with Ira Gershwin’s lyrics, to a nostalgic “How Are Things in Glocca Morra,” written with Yip Harburg, to an animated rendition of “I Hear Music,” with lyrics by Frank Loesser.

Holbrook lets his impish qualities out to play with two Lane/Harburg numbers, “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love,” and again with “Anything Can Happen in New York.”  He’s an appealing, good-looking performer, comfortable with his audience, who carries some of his theater experience into his interpretation of lyrics. And his patter is pleasantly brief, to the point, and segues well from song to song.

Richard Barclay directed the show.  The Tom Nelson Trio, with Nelson at the piano, Peter Grant on drums and bassist Michael Max Fleming supported their vocalist nicely.  Denise Anderson was in charge of lights and sound.

Holbrook and Richard Sings Burton plays again at Don’t Tell Mama on Sunday, May 11^th, and Friday, May 16^th.

Peter Leavy
Cabaret Scenes
May 4, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org