Sondheim. The name makes seasoned singers quiver. Words, lots of words. And the melodies, not so easy to sing. Complex emotional palettes.  Kudos to Karen Akers for attempting a whole night of his songs. The New York chanteuse did seem a bit unsteady though, going up on the lyrics and restarting a number. Her meter seemed off. Opening night jitters and the daunting nature of the task may have got the better of her.

Akers was successful on the humorous “Momentd in the Woods,” the wonderful imagery of “I Remember” from Evening Primrose, “Water Under the Bridge” from an unmade 1994 movie score and Merrily We Roll Along’s “Not a Day Goes By.”  The Sondheim staples – “Send in the Clowns,” Follies’s “Could I Leave You?” and “Losing My Mind” make their appearances. While Akers remained true to her theatrical style, it’s not Sondheim enough for me.  Sondheim’s characters are poignant, tortured and ambiguous.  Not to her fault, Akers is not wry enough, or cynical enough, or sarcastic enough. Karen’s sweet and lovely and definitely not bitter. She obviously loves Sondheim and it’s a joy that anyone would deliver so much of his work.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
September 14, 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org