Jillian Laurain
Broadway Her Way
Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, September 16, 2017
Reviewed by Chris Struck for Cabaret Scenes
Jillian Laurain carried herself with the grace of an accomplished, confident performer, and carried us to fabulous heights with her voice’s passionate depth of emotion and tone. When she delivered a splendid and misty-eyed “I’ll Be Seeing You,” she had my heart in her hands.
Having gotten her start in opera, Laurain had a somewhat operatic style and flair to her performance. This was “her way” of doing things and it worked out really well. Each song rang deeper and truer than the last, as she weaved her way through some of her Broadway favorites, including a simply terrific version of Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice’s “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.
” She also showed that she could be a little sultry and a little funny adding a song from a show in which she performed, Man of La Mancha‘s “Aldonza,” which has the line, “Cross my palm with a coin/and I’ll willingly show you the rest!”
Joining her on stage was the terrific trio of Ian Herman (musical director and pianist), Tom Hubbard (double bass), and David Silliman (percussion). They were fabulous accompanists, and Herman showcased his skill by playing a stellar piano composition that couldn’t help but remind me of Tchaikovsky. Laurain capped off the classy evening, adding a pair of fur-trimmed gloves to her already stunning outfit, for another Lloyd Weber classic, “With One Look” (lyrics: Don Black/Christopher Hampton/Amy Powers). With one look, indeed, she broke my heart.
Look for her upcoming show at Don’t Tell Mama on Saturday, December 16.
