Martin Vidnovic
What Matters to Me
Feinstein’s/54 Below, NYC, June 21, 2018
Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes
Once upon a time long ago, there were great Broadway voices—Alfred Drake, John Raitt and Earl Wrightson, among others. Thankfully, there are still a few such voices around, and Martin Vidnovic displayed his in his show at Feinstein’s/54 Below. In addition, he is a very funny guy, with the timing of an established stand-up comedian. The combination of wonderful singing and great humor produced an extremely entertaining evening. The show was titled What Matters to Me, and what matters to Vidnovic are the many musical theater productions that he has appeared in including Guys and Dolls, The Fantasticks, and Camelot. Many of his songs and stories were chosen from his work on Broadway.
He opened with a big, bold performance of “Luck Be a Lady.” He doesn’t show off his vocal instrument, but uses it appropriately, as when he ended “If Ever I Would Leave You” by holding the final note for an amazing length of time. His facial expressions and movements made “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I’ve Been a Liar All My Life,” a joy to watch and listen to.
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He dramatically explained the lyrics of Jacques Brel’s “Ne me quitte pas” before giving a stirring performance in French. He combined “Rain” (110 in the Shade) with “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” (The Fantasticks), performing the first loud and strong and the second soft and quiet. After amusingly telling that it was his infant granddaughter’s favorite song, he showed off his ability to swing with “Come Fly with Me.” He closed by not doing it Frank’s or Elvis’s way, but by doing “My Way” his way, eliciting a standing ovation.
His encore was a feel good “You Make Me Feel So Young.”
