Bob O’Hare
Unfinished Business: A Love Story
Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, April 15, 2018
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg for Cabaret Scenes
With Unfinished Business, charming Bob O’Hare created a song cycle utilizing standards (mostly from Broadway) to portray a love story from first meeting (“My First Love Song” from The Roar of the Greasepaint…) through marriage (“I Do! I Do!”), difficulties (“My Own Space” and “Nobody’s Perfect”) to contentment (a lovely medley of “You and I” from the film musical Goodbye, Mr. Chips, “Two for the Road,” and “Not a Day Goes By”). Beyond an opening welcome and the usual thanks at the end, there were no spoken words, just a flow of beautiful music presented with sensitivity and humor via the singer’s flexible and comfortable voice. O’Hare’s movements are limited, due to health issues, but his fine delivery makes up for the static stage picture.
Some other wise choices included the mix of two Rodgers & Hart gems: “Have You Met Miss Jones?
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” (including the rarely heard verse) and “I’ll Tell the Man in the Street,” beginning with a conversational style and growing more expansive with the emotional release of the latter.
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A bit later in the program, a heartfelt segue from Stephen Sondheim’s “Happiness” into “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” proved a program highlight. One excellent surprise was “Unfinished Business” (Alan Menken and David Spencer) from the yet-to-reach New York City The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.
O’Hare was backed up by the very fine Tom Nelson Trio (Nelson on piano, Tom Kirchmer on bass, and Peter Grant on drums), which provided sensitive support throughout. The show was directed with a sure hand for dramatic ebb and flow by Eric Michael Gillett.
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