(seen at the performance on 12th August 2024)
Bernadette Peters. Broadway legend, rarely seen in London and then two appearances come along within a year. Her performance in the celebration of Sondheim which was “Old Friends;” and now something the monkey had been waiting for ever since an impecunious producer kiboshed the plan a few years ago... the lady in concert.
It has long loved the only DVD it has of her work – “Live In Australia” from around 2009, but this chance to see her live is one ticked firmly off the monkey’s bucket list.
Opening with an overture of coming attractions – the monkey detected “On A Sunday,” (from “Sunday In The Park With George”) alongside the Waltz from “A Little Night Music,” “Broadway Baby” ("Follies") and “Hello, Dolly!” among them, the lady herself waiting in the wings, photographer recording the moment (as the monkey could observe from where it was sitting).
In a shimmering trademark silver dress split at the front to allow a little choreography, “Hey Old Friend” (from “Merrily We Roll Along”) brought the star centre stage. Prolonged applause prevented her beginning her act, but finally we got rolling with a muse that the show should have been called “Old Folks.” Us all? Never!
From a show she wasn’t in, to one of her greatest. “No One Is Alone” from “Into The Woods.” Peters admitted jealousy listening to Kim Crosby singing Cinderella’s song every night, and made it her own. Starting with the usual slow tempo, moving to a cabaret pace yet retaining character integrity, the monkey shed a tear (eliciting a sympathetic look from the stage).
Wagging a finger toward the wings for cheekily setting her microphone stand too high, it provided a prop for her to shuffle around to deliver “Nothing Like A Dame” ("South Pacific"). Bell-clear notes and diction, coming up as if brand new. Enough energy left to terrorise her Musical Director pianist Alfonso Casado Trigo “he’s so cute!” with a kiss.
Lenny Cowles’s perfectly adjusted spotlight hits on cue at the end of the number, adding magic. Peters sprinkles it with glamour launching into a joke told at a party for Harry Belafonte, which she attended with Joel Grey (namedropping, she asks?!), and adding another joke for good measure before returning to the songs she loves.
Climbing up stairs to lie on the pillow and blanket there, “Fever” is slinky and so relaxed she thinks nothing of laying down her microphone to sit up during the orchestral interlude.
The oft-told tale of how she discovered Rogers and Hammerstein's music by rifling through her parents’ delicate LP collection, the prettiest cover brings up “(When I Marry) Mr Snow” from “Carousel.” Suddenly she is a giddy young girl in love, a remarkable transformation.
Carrying on the theme, “It Might as Well Be Spring” ("State Fair") is an introverted contrast to the preceding exuberance.
A moment to introduce every member of her on-stage orchestra, including original Mouseketeer Cubby O’Brien on drums, and a name check for Elaine Paige in the audience, before “Follies” – another hit Sondheim show role for Peters.
“In Buddy’s Eyes” is bittersweet, acted with genuine pain at the memory of youthful insecurity. “Losing My Mind” then stopped the show with a standing ovation. “The English audience,” she gasped, “I’m Irish” came a voice from the stalls.
“Goodbye For Now,” a rare foray for Sondheim into film (“Reds”), before a ghost from Drury Lane’s past. The lights turned red as we went back to July 1980 with “Johanna” from “Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Usually sung by a man, this could be about a child or lover, the last note sustained with amazing purity.
Taking Sondheim’s more esoteric again, “With So Little to Be Sure Of” from “Anyone Can Whistle” was interesting, and a smart match for the better known “Children Will Listen” (“Into The Woods”). The polar opposite of Streisand’s lavish arrangement, this ended on a softness like a blessing of hope.
Generously name-checking Imelda Staunton and the current production of “Hello, Dolly!” at the London Palladium, Peters recalled her own time in the Broadway revival with a monologue leading into “Before The Parade Passes By”- complete with a one-woman parade, and “So Long Dearie” with full choreography and a final shuffle-off into the wings for a short break.
Drum solo, and Peters reappears in crazy headgear for “You Gotta Have a Gimmick” (“Gypsy”). Her antics with a trumpet earning a roar of approval and relieved “thank you” before her co-stars in “Old Friends” joined her onstage.
Bonnie “I’ve 40 metres of cable I wouldn’t wear for anyone else” Langford doing it with a switch – lights on her outfit and the splits presumably, Joanna Riding far more graceful in her butterfly outfit.
A little re-union with her creative (Riding), crazy (Langford) London friends drew two standing ovations and a chance for Peters to recover while the British duo gave us a quick encore.
Pausing to pay tribute to Elaine Stritch (who would have loved the applause we gave her, we were told), and noting Alex Hanson in the audience, a quick sip of water to counteract emergency hairspray; and the show hit another high with “Send In The Clowns” (“A Little Night Music”). Rarely has a performer been so hard on her character as in the final verse, simply spectacular.
Moving towards the end with “Being Alive” (“Company”), an upbeat second verse landing raw and alive indeed, invigorating enough for Peters to end with another kiss for her pianist.
Time to literally “Move On” (“Sunday in The Park With George”) in which she sings “Let me give to you something in return,” – which throughout the evening she does, lavishly.
A final mention of her dog-adoption charities “Broadway Barks” and “West End Woofs” and her own self-written (came to her on a plane journey, apparently) number “Kramer’s Song.” A beautiful lullaby to her pet, after which she reminded us to kiss animals, children, grandchildren... a meaningful thought to finish on.
The voice proved to still be there as it always was. A little gravel sometimes, perhaps, and more thought in production, but those huge notes always arrive. Most of all, Peters can both act and sell every single number like few others.
Decades of experience combined with a sheer love of what she does and of entertaining audiences. The lady gives us her all, and the five mid-show standing ovations are well earned for an unforgettable evening.
5 stars, standing ovation given.