Review: TO MAURY WITH LOVE, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

To Maury With Love is the latest of the Sunday evening musical concerts taking place at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and is a celebration of the work of American composer Maury Yeston. His musicals include Titanic, Grand Hotel, Nine, and Death Takes A Holiday, all represented here with multiple numbers.

The concert is in celebration of Yeston's 80th birthday - an event which took place in October last year - and producer Danielle Tarento has assembled a starry cast of singers alongside the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, conducted on this occasion by Mark Aspinall. It is also a charity concert in aid of Bowel Cancer UK, although this is only acknowledged by a one-page advertisement in the programme.

Despite some excellent performances from Rob Houchen, Ramin Karimloo, Sydnie Christmas, Kelly Mathieson, Madalena Alberto and Graham Bickley, the evening lacked both a presenter and a context in which to place Yeston's career and his work. Video clips of Yeston discussing his view of musicals (they need to tell a clear story, and failed musicals are 'full of pop songs') were informative, but those new to this composer may feel a little adrift.

Yeston's lush score and thoughtful lyrics for Phantom were given short shrift with just one number, "Home", while Club Moscow, a show completely unknown to me, allowed a fine segue between that musical's "Tell Me About Your Wife" (sung by Alberto) into "Unusual Way" from Nine (sung by Christmas). Elsewhere, Titanic was heavily represented as befits Yeston's most enduring work, including a finale with the graduating theatre students of the Royal College of Music.

It might have been interesting for the concert to include some of Yeston's musical poems and concept musical songs, such as Goya, although a place was found for a brief moment from the Tom Sawyer ballet and the notable "New Words" (sung by Bickley) from biblical comedy In The Beginning. Grand Hotel offers a quartet of songs of interest to those who know the original 1932 film, particularly in Flaemmchen's "Girl In The Mirror" (sung here by Christmas and recalled on video by the original Flaemmchen, Jane Krakowski).

Yeston's song for Grand Hotel's Baron, "Love Can't Happen", is another affecting song, performed here by Houchen. It makes a compelling closure of the surprisingly short Act One (just 45 minutes). And Kelly Mathison excels as the mistress bursting with longing for her Guido in Nine's "A Call From The Vatican", positively dripping with desire.

There were some technical issues with the video clips, as the sound became less and less synced with the images. But this is a small point in a night which was tightly curated and certainly celebratory. I just think for a composer who is somewhat niche and in a concert hoping to raise money for charity, more care could have been taken to draw attention to both in a more cohesive way.

However, this is a composer who has created some great work and if this leaves audience members wishing for revivals of any of these musicals, it will have done its job.

To Maury With Love took place at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 22 February.

Donations can be made to Bowel Cancer UK.

Photo credits: Eliza Wilmot