Mark Nadler
Crazy 1961
2014 Bradstan Cabaret Festival
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
200 Hurd Road
Bethel, New York 12720
in the Event Gallery
866-781-2922
In Crazy 1961, Mark Nadler, the clown prince of cabaret, makes 1961 memorable for much, much more. Through his thoughtful juxtaposition of music with the historical events taking place that year, Nadler has crafted a tour de force that is wonderfully entertaining , smartly crafted and both funny and wistful.
Funny? How about opening with a biological bit on his conception and matching it with “Comes Once in a Lifetime.” Wistful? A beautifully soft, slowed-down rendition of “Dedicated to the One I Love.” Smart? Richard Adler’s “Ordinary People,” about belonging and acceptance becomes a biting condemnation of segregation, bigotry and homophobia. Likewise, Nadler observes the ugly realities of 1961’s escalation of the Viet Nam conflict, the building of the Berlin Wall and the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs, then launches into the naively innocent Broadway song “Love Makes the World Go Round.”
Nadler’s personal anecdotes drive the material seamlessly with lovely versions of “Sail Away,” “I Believe In You” and “Adrift on a Star,” from the 1961 Broadway production The Happiest Girl in the World, based on Aristophanes’ anti-war satire Lysistrata. Nadler links it to the fledgling exploration of space, but both meanings are relevant. His arrangements are wonderful, with great reeds (sax, flute and clarinet), bass and drum accompaniment from his NYC pals. Nadler is a showman the likes of which we may never see again, which may be a shame, but makes celebrating his work all the more important.
