Carole J. Bufford & Eric Yves Garcia
A Christmas Carole & A New Year’s Yves
Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC, December 18, 2014
Reviewed by Peter Haas for Cabaret Scenes
The future of cabaret is in excellent hands, judging by the rich and merry musical evening created and performed by two of the field’s top young talents. The show is A Christmas Carole & A New Year’s Yves, which Carole J. Bufford and Eric Yves Garcia created and performed at a packed-house Laurie Beechman. Each has held audiences on his/her own; together, in solos and duets, bouncing patter off each other with obvious affection, they are an endearing team.
With Matt Baker as accomplished accompanist, the two romped through a bright program of seasonal and popular numbers. For “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” they reversed the song’s familiar roles, with Bufford as seductress. Her “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” captured the song’s poignancy, while “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” as she appeared in giant striped pajamas, heightened the fun. Garcia’s solos—in between his dry, wry comments—included “The Christmas Waltz,” Willie Nelson’s “Pretty Paper” (about a street peddler), and “(Everyone’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag,” presented as a double-entendre number. The two joined forces on a medley of wintertime classics, including “It Happened in Sun Valley,” “June in January” and “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.” A particularly poignant number was Garcia’s rendition of John Meyer’s “After the Holidays,” which Judy Garland sang when they were romantically involved. John was in the audience to accept warm applause.
The evening’s conclusion: a standing ovation for the team.