Review: Meg Flather's HAMMERSTEIN AND SONDHEIM: CAREFULLY TAUGHT A Tour-De-Force Performance At Don't Tell Mama
Put simply, do not miss this show.
If you haven’t had the chance to see Meg Flather perform, get thee to Don’t Tell Mama on November 19 at 7pm for her final performance of HAMMERSTEIN AND SONDHEIM CAREFULLY TAUGHT – it is a tour de force performance you simply cannot miss!
This reviewer had the privilege of witnessing Flather’s performing prowess on Saturday afternoon, surrounded by several members of the cabaret community, and Flather’s friends and supporters. She began the show from the rear of Don’t Tell Mama’s Brick Room, inviting the audience to turn their gaze to the stage and visualize the bright golden haze on the meadow, as described in Oklahoma’s “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’” by Hammerstein, before easing beautifully into Sondheim’s “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George. This pairing provided the perfect segue into Flather’s opening patter, which introduced the concept of her show – an exploration of the mentor/mentee relationship between the two legendary Broadway songwriters.
Together with the brilliant Tracy Stark at the keys, and master cabaret director Lennie Watts, Flather has created an exceptional cabaret show. Her beautiful voice, clarity of diction, and expressive phrasing made each song a delectable treat to listen to. Flather compared and contrasted themes in the material, interwoven with patter about the two gents and their working relationship, which blossomed when an 11-year-old Sondheim moved to Doylestown, Pennsylvania, when his parents divorced. It was Hammerstein who taught Sondheim how to write songs, and how grateful we are that this serendipitous relationship came to be!
Speaking of grateful, Flather’s interpretation of “Sorry/Grateful” from Company is hands down one of the most incredible renditions of the song I have ever seen/heard. Other highlights included some great script interaction with Stark in “Free” from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, a stunning pairing of “Something Wonderful” from The King and I, with “What’s the use of Wond’rin” from Hammerstein’s Carousel, and a mind-blowing rendition of “Lonely Room” from Oklahoma, which was paired with “Epiphany” from Sweeney Todd.
The title of the show, “Carefully Taught,” taken from the song “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” from South Pacific, rings true for this reviewer, who learned so much about Hammerstein and Sondheim in these 60-odd minutes, that I was left wanting to know more! Flather alluded to the phrase, “naked plain spokenness,” which was Sondheim’s description of Hammerstein’s lyrics. Let me speak naked and plainly when I say Meg Flather is a cabaret goddess and you must see this show.
Find great shows to see on the Don't Tell Mama website HERE.
Meg Flather has a website HERE and THIS is the Tracy Stark website.
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