Witty, erudite and sophisticated are all adjectives which aptly describe the lyrics of Noël Coward. His words can range from harrowing to hilarious and can cut with laser precision. Simon Green can also be witty, erudite and sophisticated, but somehow this show lacked some well-needed sparkle.

There’s no doubt this show was meticulously researched. Simon knows his Coward—he read an entire volume of Coward’s lyrics before deciding on a song list, and unearthed some terrific lyrics, particularly for Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love).” The song choices, while terrific, focused on the more serious side of Coward. Couple that with rather dry chat and occasional vocal problems and what you get is something more informative than entertaining.

The best songs of the night, however, were the comedic “Three Theatrical Dames,” “Why Must The Show Go On?,” “Time and Again.” There was also a very moving version of “Sail Away.”

Harold Sanditen
Cabaret Scenes
December 20, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org