Recent Yale Cabaret Conference alumni Catherine Thomson and Duncan Moore offered musical numbers around the theme of recognition. The theme invites everything from déjà vu to epiphany. Moore finds the breeziness in Mercer’s “I Remember You,” (music by Victor Schertzinger), yet lets the lyric take on a little more depth given this show’s message. “What Kind of Fool Am I?” is a gritty recognition of bad choices and regret and Moore helps it fit seamlessly into this show. Recently, he has made great strides as a vocalist.

Catherine Thomson is a cabaret artist to watch. Not only does she sing like a canary and move like a cat, she gets the art of cabaret and thus is, above all, a wonderful story teller. Thomson delivers Irving Berlin’s “You’d Be Surprised” with sensual pleasure and without the usual coquettishness and it is grand. In “Guess Who I Saw Today,” Thomson found the perfect balance of sorrow and bitterness to convey this understated story song. The show could use more duets and genuine conversation between the two performers. Boy/Girl shows ask for a certain romantic tension, and Recognition could have used more. The best “click” comes all the way at the end of the show with a fun take on “On a Clear Day...” with the two performers trying to upstage each other in every funny way. Mark Burnell delivered well as Musical Director and added to the fun.

Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
December 20, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org