Review: Mark Nadler Launches New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits Series at Metropolitan Room In Tempestuous, Hilarious, Whip-Smart Style

Back in January, BroadwayWorld's lead cabaret reviewer Stephen Hanks announced he was giving up critiquing shows to start his own company, Cabaret Life Productions, through which he would publicize, promote, and help book cabaret performers, and also produce cabaret shows. (Full disclosure alert: Hanks is the Editor of the BroadwayWorld cabaret section.) Hanks' first major production out of the box is a monthly series at the Metropolitan Room, New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits, that features talented artists recreating award-winning or highly-praised shows we wish we'd seen--a really good idea. (See list of remaining 2015 shows and dates and 2016 show schedule at end of this piece.)

Hanks' series launched this past Wednesday night with Mark Nadler's award-winning 2003 show Tschaikowsky (And Other Russians). [Iconoclastic spelling by Ira Gershwin.] The Metropolitan Room was filled to the gills and abuzz with anticipation, as most of the audience was only familiar with the show's second-hand praise and/or the CD version of Nadler's performance.

Tschaikowsky (And Other Russians)--a number by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin from the 1941 Broadway musical Lady in the Dark--provides the raison d'être and vertebrae for this extraordinary show. The song features the names of 49 Russian composers in rapid-fire, tongue-twisting succession few other performers could handle, let alone finesse. Armed with considerable classical music prowess, Nadler researched every single artist including, at last, the illusive Kvoschinsky (You think I'm kidding? Try to find him). Over the course of the evening he shares information, anecdotes, musical samples, and an arsenal of emphatic opinions so that, at the end, we'll remember the names for a sing-along. (Uh huh) He's discriminating, theatrical, cynical, chummy, and very, very funny.

Anton Rubinstein spread the rumor he was the reincarnation of Ludwig von Beethoven. Glinka started a national movement to develop a Russian sound. "In 19th century Russia, composers had no social standing" introduces a minuet-like "Too Good For the Average Man" (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart from On Your Toes): Finer things are for the finer folk/Thus society began/Caviar for peasants is a joke/It's too good for the average man. The show is spiked with unexpected, perfectly apt contemporary material like prizes in a Christmas plum pudding. Nadler's head swivels like that of a ventriloquist's dummy. He sits, stands, brandishes his eyeglasses, and leans so far forward it appears he's going to fall into a mosh pit of gleeful approbation.

In 1913, Stravinsky (and Nijinksy) caused a near riot at Diaghilev's Ballets Russes premiere of The Rite of Spring. Nowakowsky was the foremost composer of synagogue music. Nadler dovens like an orthodox Jewish rabbi. "I relate to him the most," begins the performer, "because I come from Iowa, the pork state where for every human there are three pigs. Why did my parents choose Iowa? They wanted to be in a place where they could feel as despised as they had back home. The only thing worse was being gay. Tchaikovsky and his brother were both gay. It's hard when you don't fit in."

A rendition of Frank Loesser's "The Ugly Duckling" (from the film Hans Christian Anderson) follows, utter musical sensitivity alternating with deadpan waahk! waahk! duck sounds and facial expressions worthy of silent films. "Swan Lake" provides an underscore. I'm not just an ugly duckling . . . da dump da da dump da dump dump . . . not I! One wing extends.

Calling Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet "a little weepy for my taste," Nadler sumptuously plays part of Prokofieff's version. He gets up and indicates the scenario costumes and all. "Don't you just want to reach out and touch her?! You've got to get some Prokofieff in your life--but use condoms! An hysterical discussion of the story's teenage protagonists vis a vis a PBS science documentary leads to Carol Hall's "It's Only a Broken Heart": "It's not like you slipped a disk, lost your dog; not like a line at the bank or root canal," he admonishes Romeo to a Bob Fosse vamp. Each composer is summarily dispensed with, music tossed behind the piano bench.

Alexander Scriabin had synesthesia of the brain. He saw colors when he heard music. Ballakireff wouldn't get out of bed without consulting his soothsayer. Mussorgsky was a drunk. "Pictures At An Exhibition" sounds so sober it's like a sobriety test." Alexander Borodine was a great guy to have at a party. "We all know him because . . . " Nadler plays "Stranger in Paradise" and informs us "Robert Wright and George Forrest turned this into a song for Kismet."

"Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash wrote the same song with different lyrics and melody," Nadler continues, segueing into "I'm a Stranger Here Myself," a song he built an entire show around two years ago. It's fatalistic, stylish torch with a big, Georg Grosz, Weimar denouement. Open throated heft weighs in with fairly new, sometimes even delicate restraint. The variation works wonderfully.

We additionally hear, in part, a percussive "I Can't Get Started With You" (Vernon Duke aka Vladimir Dukelsky/Ira Gershwin) with an undertow of rag, a thrilling interpretation of "Icarus" (Adam Guettel from Myths and Hymns), relating to "bone crushing legacy," and a rendition of "Very Soft Shoes" (Mary Rodgers/ Marshall Barer from Once Upon a Mattress), during which Nadler tap dances while sitting on the piano bench. (The arms are priceless!) Not to mention notes on the other 40 composers.

In a kind of aria da capo, Nadler's last few concert pieces reflect the kind of self-set challenge exemplified by this show. Known by many primarily for seismic flamboyance (and natty dressing) as much as musical accomplishment and unremitting standards, the thespian has one of the best minds in the business. Winding through this evening like a golden thread from the Minotaur's cave is a theme: "It's the freaks [rule breakers] we pay attention to, the freaks we remember." This show is unforgettable.

The evening was fittingly co-sponsored by Moscow 57 Restaurant (168 ½ Delancey Street) which provided tasty hors d'oeuvres for an after-party. Hanks' Associate Producer for the New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits series is Fr. Jeffrey Hamblin, MD. (Right with Hanks in photo.)

Upcoming New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits Shows, all at the Metropolitan Room at 7 pm.
Tickets: $25 plus 2-drink minimum. Go to: http://metropolitanroom.com/event.cfm?id=192724

September 14: Julie Reyburn, Fate Is Kind (Mark Janas, Musical Director)
November 2: Maxine Linehan, What Would Petula Do, A Tribute to Petula Clark (Ryan Shirar, Musical Director)
December 14: Meg Flather, Portraits (featuring Paul Greenwood on piano and John Mettam on guitar)

2016 Show Schedule (Tentative): All shows at the Metrpolitan Room on the 13th of the month at 7 pm.

January: Karen Oberlin--Frank Loesser: Heart and Soul
February: Steve Schalchlin & Jim Brochu--The Last Session
March: Steve Ross--Alan Jay Lerner: I Remember Him Well
April: Rosemary Loar--The Quando Swing
May: Laurie Krauz--25 Years With (Music Director) Daryl Kojak
June: Barbara Porteus--Up On The Roof
July: Jeff Harnar (with Music Director Alex Rybeck)--1959 Broadway Songbook
August: Jeff Macauley--Mwah! The Dinah Shore Show
September: Janice Hall--Grand Illusions: The Music of Marlene Dietrich
October: Susan Winter--Love Rolls On
November: Deb Berman--All In Good Time
December: Ellen Kaye--Ice Wine: Songs for Christmas and Dark Winter Nights

Performance photos by Lou Montesano/Still Rock Photography
Hanks/Hamblin photo by Maryann Lopinto