Review: Sold Out Crowd Loves SO THIS IS LOVE And Eva Noblezada at The Green Room 42

Eva Noblezada is already the stuff of legend, at the young age of twenty-five. Youth is a tricky thing in this world because there are those who lean into the idea that accomplishment, wisdom, self-knowledge come with age and experience. It's a vein of ageism that exists but many women like Ms. Noblezada are changing that perception, and it's a good thing, too, because these ladies deserve their due, and the facts are laid out on paper. Eva Noblezada is the recipient of two Tony Award nominations, the owner of a Grammy Award, and is in the middle of what is being called a record-breaking residency at The Green Room 42 - and those are only three of her professional achievements - the list must go on and on. On Sunday night, Eva Noblezada became the first person to sell The Green Room 42 at full maximum capacity, since the lifting of the lockdown - and, dudes, it was such an exciting night.

SO THIS IS LOVE is the name of the new Noblezada show and, yes, it's that So This Is Love, and it's how the Broadway star begins her show, and the song hasn't sounded this good since Cinderella first sang it in 1950. Indeed, almost everything Eva sang on Sunday night, whether performing famous songs from the scores of Les Miserables and Hadestown, or singing pop songs from Adele and Amy Winehouse, sounded spectacular. With one of the most powerful and easy to listen to voices in the industry, Eva Noblezada could probably sing anything she set her sights on, from opera to country, but she does seem to have an obvious propensity for songs about women in extreme emotional states. Why not? Those are the songs that give an actress the greatest storytelling opportunities. Not that Eva Noblezada needs a musical interlude to tell a great story because the petite powerhouse has a natural ability with rhetoric. There's no telling if Eva wrote a script for the show or is working off of an outline, walking onstage and hoping to hit all the bullet points in order or, at least, at some point, but whatever she's doing, it's working for her. Yes, the autoschediastic chatter can be tangential, it can ramble, but it is all a part of the Noblezada storytelling voice, and in storytelling voice is everything. Eva Noblezada has a voice, that much is clear. How else could she contrive a cabaret show that runs the gamut from Paloma Faith to Gloria Gaynor to Judy Garland? Voice and Vision, that's how.

There's no denying that there is something special about Eva Noblezada, in all her hijinks, veracity, and profanity, and the throng of screaming fans is visible (and audible) proof that she is venerated, she is respected, she is loved. Even this writer seeing her for the first time felt the pull of adoration, from the moment she appeared in the spotlight on Sunday night, and once devotion sets in, this guy is in a person's corner for life - and Eva's got me, well and true. That doesn't, though, mean that I left The Green Room 42 completely happy. You see, Ms. Noblezada is a woman frustratingly trapped in the epidemic of performers who believe it is acceptable to read major portions of their lyrics to the audience, and Eva spent much of her time onstage glued to her ipad, which does not negate her immense talent or likeability, it only serves as a distraction and a disappointment. More's the pity because she is easily one of the most fascinating and enjoyable artists on the scene today - were she to abandon the tablet, she could be unstoppable; she is already on her way to being her generation's Patti LuPone or Audra McDonald. Her flight up the Legend Ladder will be much faster, much easier, and much more rewarding without the weight caused by one tiny little ipad.

SO THIS IS LOVE is a lovely show, and Eva Noblezada is a lovely woman. It would be a pleasure, indeed a privilege, to return to the show repeatedly simply to languish in the loveliness, as well as the love, for it isn't just in the title of the show, it isn't just in the songs she sings, it's all around her. It's in the reminiscences she recounts, it's in the humor she shares, it's in the faces of the people watching, it is everywhere she is, which is probably the reason she chose the topic to drive the show, a good show, and one worth seeing. It would seem that, wherever Eva Noblezada goes, whatever art she creates, there will be something worth seeing - exciting, emotional, and excellent.

Eva Noblezada SO THIS IS LOVE IS is expertly musical directed by Jude Obermuller.

Eva Noblezada SO THIS IS LOVE is a Green Room 42 residency and returns on August 29th and throughout the year. For the Green Room 42 calendar, visit their website HERE.

Eva Noblezada is on Twitter HERE and Instagram HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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