Carly Ozard is very talented, a classically trained mezzo soprano whose previous shows showcased her delightful wit — part sarcasm, part self-deprecating humor. Her debut show, Bitter and Be Gay, and its follow-up, Bewitched, Bothered and Bipolar, were solid hits. A larger-than-life musical theater diva, Ozard is comfortable onstage and the banter comes easyily.  Paying homage to her musical idol, rock legend Freddie Mercury, would seem a natural, what with his flair for the theatrical and dramatic. But the show veered from intimate cabaret to stadium-sized rock with little subtlety or finesse.  The use of video of Mercury was a distraction for sure. Why watch the show when you can see the real thing?

Ozard does her best with the music, very popular hits from Mercury’s band, Queen, but they don’t flatter her beautiful vocal range or style. The arrangements are straightforward, with little deviations from the originals, and Carly had to constantly compete with her overpowering backup band. Her script combined her fascination with Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) and his incredible story of a young Parsi child from Zanzibar who rose to worldwide fame and died way too early of AIDS in 1991, with some personal anecdotes tying their relationship together.  “These Are the Days of Our Lives,” one of the last songs Mercury ever recorded, is touching and bittersweet, as is the sad “No-One but You” (“Only the Good Die Young”). These two numbers, plus the encore of “Love Me Like There’s No Tomorrow,” give Ozard the only opportunities to deliver a delicate vocal, which is a shame. What I liked most of Queen’s music were Mercury’s vocal harmonies (achieved though multiple overdubs) and their clean, distinctive instrumental mix.  Ozard obviously has the passion for this music, but the execution needs work.

While Mercury’s songwriting is the stuff of rock legend ("Bohemian Rhapsody," "Killer Queen," "Somebody to Love," "Don't Stop Me Now," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "We Are the Champions"), it’s not that profound.  I’ve seen tributes to many of rock’s icons (Dylan, Cohen, Lennon/McCartney and Mitchell), but I wouldn’t include Queen in that lofty group. As a sheer indulgence, Ozard got a chance to perform a very personal show singing the music she so loves, but sometimes that isn’t enough.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
May 20, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org