Kathleen Turner

Finding My Voice

Feinstein’s at the Nikko, San Francisco, CA, October 16, 2017

Reviewed by Steve Murray for Cabaret Scenes

Movie stars taking an unexpected crack at singing in nothing new; listen to Bette Davis singing “They’re Either Too Young or Too Old” from 1943’s Thank Your Lucky Stars or Tallulah Bankhead singing 1932’s “It Had to Be That Way.” More recently, musical film adaptations like Les Misérables saw Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe tackling vocals with limited success. So why do they do it? Why would Kathleen Turner, who’s a legend of film, stage, and small screen, put together a cabaret show and take it on the road? There were few hints as to her motivation delivered in her between-song banter. One was that director Molly Smith asked her to sing in her revival of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children. Perhaps the seed was sown there and Turner, well known for her distinctive gravel alto, has designed a showcase for that voice with the assistance of Andy Gale (Sideshow, Rags) and accompanist Mark Janas.

Opening with “I Hear Music” (Burton Lane/Frank Loesser) and “Let’s Fall in Love” (Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler), my immediate impression was here’s yet another vanity project gone awry. Turner is definitely not a trained singer and it shows; her delivery is raw and coarse. But then, opining about being single after a 22-year marriage, she launched into a nice rendition of Sondheim’s “Live Alone and Like It.” She followed that with another song in her vocal wheelhouse, William Finn’s lovely “I’d Rather Be Sailing.” These worked for Turner’s voice, feeling genuine and heartfelt. “Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home” (Arlen/Johnny Mercer) also works for her range, as did “You Must Believe in Spring” (Michel Legrand/Alan & Marilyn Bergman/original French words by Jacques Demy).

Non-singers need to know their strengths and limitations. They need to stay within the parameters of their instruments to be successful. Turner’s finest vocal was on Abbey Lincoln’s powerful “Throw It Away.” Here it all came together musically.

Turner sold out both shows in her San Francisco cabaret debut and I’m sure many were surprised at the number of songs presented. I think a better balance should be struck between song and her incredible film and stage backstories. She did tell a few stories, and I think it might be wise to enhance that portion of the show. Overall, it was great to see Turner back on the stage, stretching herself in new directions and having a ball doing it.