[NEohioPAL] Berko review: AN EVENING WITH PATTI LUPONE AND MANDY PATINKIN (Playhouse Square)

[Roy Berko]

PATTI LUPONE and MANDY
PATINKIN…A CLASS ACT AT PALACE
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member, American Theatre
Critics Association)
 
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‘AN EVENING WITH PATTI
LUPONE AND MANDY PATINKIN,’ is a dream concert for those in the
“theatre”-know.  It is a match up
of two of Broadway’s superstars.   Put the dynamic duo on the stage with a piano and a bass, add some ghost
lights, allow them to probe the Broadway song book, and the result is a
wonderful evening of entertainment.
 
Mandy
Patinkin is an American actor of stage and screen and a tenor vocalist.   He is noted for his ability to stylize songs by
reverting to falsetto and rephrasing the original scoring of a song.  Though well known for his roles in
television’s ‘CHICAGO HOPE’
and ‘CRIMINAL MINDS,’
and the films ‘YENTEL’ and ‘RAGTIME,’ he is renowned for his musical stage
performances.  His initial success
came when he played Che in ‘EVITA’ in 1979.  It was here that he and LuPone, who
played the title role, made professional contact.  Patinkin went on to win that year's Tony Award for Best
Featured Actor in a Musical.  He
returned to Broadway in 1984 to star in ‘SUNDAY IN THE PARK
WITH GEORGE,’ which saw him earn another Tony Award nomination.  He also appeared in ‘THE SECRET GARDEN,‘
‘FALSETTOS,’ ’THE WILD PARTY,’ and ‘SAVAGES.’  He sings in Yiddish,
often in concert, and on his album, ‘MAMALOSHEN.’
 
Patti LuPone
swept the 2008 theatre awards winning the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics
Circle Awards for Best Actress for her performance as Mama Rose in ‘GYPSY.’     Other smash
appearances include ‘ SWEENEY TODD,’
‘CAN-CAN,’’ ‘CANDIDE,’ ‘NOISES OFF,’  ‘PAL JOEY,’ ‘ANYTHING GOES,’ ‘OLIVER!,’ ‘THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM,’
and ‘LES MISÉRABLES.’  In 1995, she appeared on the Great
White Way in a one-woman show, ‘PATTI LUPONE ON BROADWAY.’
 
With that
history, the major problem in putting together their evening, was the selection
of songs.  Though the program was
varied, many of the songs were not from the shows in which they appeared.  These included segments from ‘SOUTH
PACIFIC,’ ‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, and ‘CAROUSEL.’  Though entertaining, the program wasn’t what many of those
who came to see and hear the duo yearned for.  The response to LaPone’s “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”
(‘EVITA’) and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” (‘GYPSY’), in which the audience
erupted in applause during the first several notes of each, illustrated the
desire.  Unfortunately, Patinkin
didn’t feature any of the songs from his major shows.   
 
This is not
to say the evening was disappointing, it wasn’t.  However, I left a little empty for not hearing more of the
musical theatre history of the duo.
 
Highlights
included “Another Hundred People” (‘COMPANY’), “Everybody Says Don’t” (‘ANYONE
CAN WHISTLE’), “April in Fairbanks” (‘NEW FACES OF 1956’), “The God-Why-Don’t
You-Love-Me Blues” (‘FOLLIES’), and “You’re Just in Love” (‘CALL ME MADAM’).
 
CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   ‘AN EVENING WITH PATTI LUPONE AND
MANDY PATINKIN’ will be of great joy to anyone who loves musical theatre.  That’s not to say others will not like
the offerings, but there is a special place in the hearts and minds of
“theatre-people” for this near queen and king of musicals.
 
‘AN EVENING WITH PATTI
LUPONE AND MANDY PATINKIN runs until May 17 at the Palace Theatre.  Tickets can be ordered by calling
216-241-6000 or going to www.playhousesquare.org.