About halfway into his show, John Standing admitted he “sings like a foot.”  OK, he may not have the best voice on earth, and whether he can sing or not, what he can do is deliver a song and tell a story, and both he does with great humor and panache.  Ironically, the best song of the night, musically, “Someday I’ll Find You,” followed this admission.

His opening number, “I’ve Been to a Marvellous Party,” was impeccably delivered—spoken—not sung, kicking the evening off nicely, and letting the audience know we were in for some fun.  As you’d expect, his “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” was hilarious.  His lead-in to the song had the audience rolling.  He told us that when Laurence Olivier’s young son, Richard, saw two dogs “at it,” he asked what they were doing.  Coward’s response was, “The one in front is blind, and the one behind is pushing her all the way to St. Dunstan's.” (a local school for the blind…)  Other highlights were the incredibly topical “Bad Times Are Just Around the Corner” and “Let’s Do It,” (with Coward's exra lurics to the Cole Porter song) but the best song of the night was a beautifully moving “You Were There.”

It’s terrific to see someone totally in his element.  John Standing knew Noёl Coward from the age of 10 and their paths crossed repeatedly throughout Coward’s life, so who could be better suited to deliver Coward’s songs?  He and Coward are both quintessentially English, so, stylistically, they fit like gloves. His show has an old-fashioned feel to it, which again, fits into Wilton’s so perfectly, it’s almost uncanny.

In keeping with the humor, Standing told us his show would be uninteresting if he didn’t drop a few names—names like Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Errol Flynn—all of whom he’d met or worked with.

Standing’s Musical Director, Stuart Barr, shone on the piano, and seemed to come out of the Coward era himself.  Bassist Nicky Davenport also provided terrific musical support.

This is English cabaret at its best: wry comedy and witty word play.  Go see John Standing if you have the chance.  You won’t be disappointed and you’ll have some great laughs, too.

John plays through January 22.

Harold Sanditen
Cabaret Scenes
January 17, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org