Judy Collins

A Love Letter to Sondheim

Joe’s Pub, NYC, November 24, 2017

Reviewed by Frank Dain for Cabaret Scenes

Judy Collins stepped onto the small stage at Joe’s Pub, her silver mane highlighted by her all-black ensemble, and launched into Stephen Sondheim’s “Move On” (Sunday in the Park with George). Perhaps it’s time for her to heed the advice of that song and move on from Sondheim.

She has presented evenings of his songs before and, despite her hit with his “Send in the Clowns,” his material does not sit well with her. She is unable to navigate the intricacies of his music and lyrics and, more disappointing, unable to dig into those lyrics and tell the story. Odd for a singer-songwriter who is among the best storytellers of her generation.

It took more than half of the show before she seemed (somewhat) warmed up. Her voice broke during the evening, and any attempt to sustain a note, except for some high, pure tones at the end of some songs, was unsuccessful.

The evening was flat musically, and Collins got no help from the pedestrian arrangements that you could hear in any piano bar or cocktail lounge. Russell Walden was her M.D.

Most disappointing was her inability to get through a complete song without fumbling over the lyrics (despite having a music stand holding her script). Even when she sat at the piano for her own “Colorado” (the most connected she was to the material at hand and the best moment of the night), she forgot the lyrics. If you are going to sing Sondheim, you cannot tell his stories if you don’t know the lyrics.

It’s a disservice to his mastery with words. And, if you are not going to dig deep into the lyrics to find the emotions inherent in them, you are missing the chance to put a personal stamp on this material.

Glossing over Sondheim’s lyrics is not the way to honor his artistry.