“Refreshing” is the best word to describe Emily Bergl and her Kidding on the Square: Live at the Algonquin. “Delightful” might also do. She’s an ice cream sundae made up of Marilyn Monroe and Gloria Grahame with a touch of Melanie Griffith circa Working Girl, all whipped up into a slightly wicked frappe. She even managed a tasteful striptease, showing off the added bonus of a beautiful dancer’s body.

Her set featured off-center re-interpretations of some well-known songs: “Mad About the Boy” (Noël Coward) was a gentle, girlish reverie; “Confession” (Schwartz & Dietz) a giddy list of naughtiness; “Cryin’” (Orbison/Melson) a clear-eyed, but moving, outburst; and a slowed-down version of Madonna’s hit “Material Girl” (Peter Brown/Robert Rans), combined with “The Fear” (Lily Allen & Greg Kurstin)—a  sassy anthem with an off-kilter subtext of being vaguely out of touch with the modern world—was slyly sarcastic.

She tried on her sophisticated demeanor in three numbers: her faux French “Sympathique” (China Forbes & Thomas Lauderdale); “Happy Birthday, Mrs. Parker” (William Zeffiro), a tongue-in-cheek paean to that Algonquin legend; and Blossom Dearie’s hit “Peel Me a Grape” (Dave Frishberg), which was sung with the cherubic glee of someone sure of her allure. Her cutesy nature came in a slightly belabored audience-participation version of “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” (Secunda/Jacobs, with English lyrics by Sammy Cahn). She kept on trying to get people to pronounce the title in German, sitting in laps and seductively massaging shoulders, but never quite succeeding.

She ended with “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” by LCD Soundsystem, a bittersweet rumination about the best and worst of NYC, and encored with “Dream a Little Dream of Me” (Fabian Andre/Wilbur Schwandt/Gus Kahn), more wistful than sad.

Her bassist/ukulele player was Ritt Henn and her Musical Director/pianist Sarna Mastro masterfully enhanced Ms. Bergl’s interpretations.

Ms. Bergl continues at the Oak Room Dec. 5, 12 & 19 at 7:30 pm.

Joel Benjamin
Cabaret Scenes
November 21, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org