So Many Disappointed Men
St James Theatre 1st Floor Gallery, Wellington
27/11/2009 - 27/11/2009
Production Details
Jane Keller is back in her fabulous new cabaret show. Jane’s show is the first of four gorgeous cabaret shows in the new Life is a Cabaret series in the elegant surroundings of the First Floor Gallery at the St James Theatre.
Following sell out successes with "Bigger is Better" and "Do I Have to Get Naked" Jane is back to wow audiences with her stunning voice and hilarious, poignant and just a wee bit risqué view on life.
Her new show is a life-long look at the adventures of meeting men, not meeting men, getting together and breaking up, rebellion and love. If you think finding love and internet dating are for the 20 and 30 somethings think again – with inflation the way it is – life now begins at 50!
So Many Disappointed Men features new cabaret and some of Broadway’s lesser known big hits.
Jane is a classical singer now focusing on jazz and cabaret. She teaches singing at Toi Whakaari, New Zealand School of Drama. Tiger Lillies’ fans will recognise Jane as the stunning voice and personality that opened their recent show at the Opera House.
Jane is accompanied by the wonderfully accomplished Carey McDonald on piano.
"Keller is a terrific performer with comic timing to die for" Dominion Post.
"Keller’s singing is impeccable. Her easy-to-listen-to clarity gives flight to whimsy, comedy, satire and pathos" The National Business Review
This is a general admission show so come along early to secure your seats. Click here for an indicative seating plan. You can then relax with your friends over a sumptuous bottle of wine, yummy food and snacks available for purchase at the venue.
Proudly supported by the Museum Hotel.
Venue
First Floor Gallery
St James Theatre
Performance
Fri 27 November
6.30pm – Doors
8.00pm – Show Time
Tickets
Friends of the St James Special Offer valid till 26 November $25.00*. Click here to book on this offer (only available for internet bookings).
$25.00* Friends
$30.00* Adult
$25.00* Groups 8+
*Service Fees Apply
A colourful range from touching to humorous
Review by Jo Hodgson 28th Nov 2009
So Many Disappointed Men certainly did not disappoint the capacity audience.
This is the first of four performances in the ‘Life is a Cabaret’ series at the St James Theatre. The atmosphere in the first floor foyer, which has been very successfully transformed into a cabaret space, is buzzing with a huge crowd, including many from Wellington’s theatre and music world.
Carey McDonald tinkles the ivories, setting a relaxed mellow scene for the evening before Jane Keller begins her first number, Sondheim’s ‘I’m Still Here’ from Follies. And, oh yes, Jane is still here!
With her ‘doesn’t miss a beat’ comic timing, impeccable diction and well-thought patter, Jane takes us on a journey through many recognisable love and loss scenarios, which judging by the reaction of the audience, we can all relate to in some way.
Jane’s voice has so many colours. Her famous twanging belt voice resounds in numbers such as David Friedman’s ‘My Simple Christmas Wish’ (to be rich, famous and powerful), and the deep alto sound is so comically bemoaned in the ‘The Alto’s Lament’ by Heisler and Goldrich, but she also has a deliciously light head voice to pull us into the nuance of the moment, especially in a poignant medley including ‘My Romance’ (Rogers and Hart) and ‘Guess Who I Saw Today My Dear’ (E Boyd & M Grand).
Carey McDonald’s accompanying is unobtrusive and yet completely supports Jane’s singing. I suspect because she is an accomplished singer herself, Carey has that natural instinct for the singers phrase and timing, giving the sensitivity and contrasting weight as required.
The programme is expertly crafted with wonderful contrasts of songs such as Brian Lasser’s song ‘Hello Tom’, the adolescent girl finding a prom date to the frustrated actress lamenting ‘Teaching 3rd Grade’ from Ruthless! The Musical.
So many great songs, a shame I can’t mention them all but, I know from comments made by audience members afterwards, while many may be unknown it is a treat to hear them. (Unfortunately there was no programme so I hope I have credited the ones I’ve mentioned correctly.)
Jane’s easy narrative sets the scene for every song, including an enlightening chat about computer dating and even congratulating a woman in the audience for getting married this weekend to a man met on the internet. Humour is used skilfully to snap us back after we’d been transported by a particularly touching moment and, when occasionally exposed in the high belt, her integrity and heartfelt conviction power her through any of those tough vocal moments.
As a friend of mine said after the encore ‘Fever’, where Jane’s husband joined the duo on the drum, "WOW – 57 and still burning!"
So Many Disappointed Men has set the standard for a wonderful cabaret series at the St James, be sure to support Bella Kalolo, Naomi Fergusson and L A Mitchell over the next few weeks.
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