Molly Pope: An Audience with Molly Pope

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Molly Pope

An Audience with Molly Pope

Joe’s Pub, NYC, January 20, 2016

Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes

Molly Pope photographed November 14, 2011“An audience with Molly Pope” is like an audience with no other performer. Pope is a truly unique artist, who manages to constantly surprise her audience with her unpredictable behavior on stage. Performing in front of a packed crowd of her wildly enthusiastic fans, she let it all hang out. In her own words, she “has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.” But whether belting a rock song or movingly crooning a ballad, it is virtually impossible to take your eyes off of her.

Pope opened with “24 Hours of Love” followed by a rocking “You’ll Lose a Good Thing.” She then paused her singing to hilariously describe her clothes and make-up. Sitting next to Musical Director Tedd Firth, she performed “Poison,” which ended with her pretending to die on stage. Pope walked through the predominantly male audience while she poignantly performed “Ballad of the Sad Young Men.” She instantly transformed the mood of the audience with a very loud rocking number, “Domino.” She conducted a Q & A session with audience members. Her response to the question “What is your ideal type?” was, “Anyone who looks at me twice.” The audience joined with Pope in performing “Royals.” Her ability as a balladeer was displayed with a soft and beautiful “I Will Wait for You” that lead into a very powerful performance of Marilyn Manson’s “I Don’t Like the Drugs (but the Drugs Like Me).” Every member of the audience was given a sheet with the lyrics to Jerry Herman’s “The Best of Times” and they joyously joined Pope in a sing-along to end the evening.

Ron Forman

Ron Forman has been a Mathematics Professor at Kingsborough Community College for 45 years. In that time, he has managed to branch out in many different areas. From 1977 to 1994 he was co-owner of Comics Unlimited, the third largest comic book distribution company in the USA. In 1999,after a lifetime of secretly wanting to do a radio program, he began his weekly Sweet Sounds program on WKRB 90.3 FM, dedicated to keeping the music of the Great American Songbook alive and accessible. This introduced him to the world of cabaret, which led to his position as a reviewer for Cabaret Scenes.