Isaac Mizrahi

54 Below, NYC, August 11, 2022

Reviewed by Ron Forman

You probably know Isaac Mizrahi as a noted fashion designer, but you may not know that Mizrahi is also a very entertaining cabaret artist. He sings well, he can be hilariously funny, and he has an extraordinarily engaging personality. His very funny opening monologue included some very amusing stories involving his mother. In this show at 54 Below he was backed by a band that really could swing: music director and pianist Ben Waltzer, Neal Miner (bass), and Stefan Schatz (drums). Each of them got ample opportunity for applause-inducing solo turns. For this outing, Mizrahi had the audience fill out question cards before show time. During the course of the show, he would pause to read and then answer a question. His answers usually produced loud laughter.

He came out saying Shalom to the crowd, before belting Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse’s “The Joker Is Me.” His performance made me believe that he was indeed the Joker. He asked for a glass of wine and then told the crowd to drink a lot, which created a party atmosphere. He hilariously performed the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds,” ending with the words “Dog I love you so.” He nicely performed “Everything I Wanted” (Billie Eilish/Finneas O’Connell). His “One More Kiss” from Follies, which included a very nice solo by Waltzer, was especially appealing. He wrote new lyrics to Cole Porter’s “You’re the Top,” that included his rhyming of “bitcoin mining” with “indoor dining” and “getting laid in Chicago” with “a raid at Mar-a-Lago.” The performance of the Madonna song, “Borderline” included a dazzling solo by Schatz, during which he used a tambourine, as well as excellent solos by Waltzer and Minor. Mizrahi responded to the question “Who was the favorite celebrity you have met?” His response: “Barbra Streisand.