Matt Doyle
Chelsea Table + Stage, NYC, August 17, 2022
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Matt Doyle entered the showroom of Chelsea Table + Stage with joy and excitement even though this was the third night in a row that he was delivering the same set list. Of course the fact that each his shows took place before a sold-out and adoring audience may have contributed to his ebullience. The performer also brought an abundance of laid-back charm and humor, a talent for storytelling, and an effortless honesty. Oh, and his powerhouse voice and his good looks didn’t hinder him either.
Much of the program mixed rock numbers with classic songs from various sources, some more successful than others (an unrecognizable “Pure Imagination” was the worst offender). The instrumental part of the program was provided by an explosive band consisting of music director/pianist and long-time (15 years) collaborator Will Van Dyke, guitarist Alec Berlin, bassist Carl Carter, and drummer Caroline Moore. Every song seemed to have a personal meaning for Doyle, from the song that first inspired him to want to sing—“Out There” from Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame (Alan Menken/Stephen Schwartz)—to “You Never Need Nobody” (The Lone Bellow), which reflected his battles with emotional issues. He happily included one of his own compositions, “Don’t Wait”; it was written in collaboration with Van Dyke and showed him to be a fine storyteller in lyrics as well as in speech.
His “patter” took the form of tales of real-life experiences, including backstage tales about Company and especially about the outrageous Patti LuPone, whom he clearly adored. There were also hysterical stories of competing for a Broadway role with his then boyfriend along with aggravating tales of auditioning for less-than-logical composers, which led to his getting tired of numbers he had to render repeatedly. Happily for the audience, he chose to reclaim some of these songs. One was “Let It Be” (sung seven separate times to gain his role in Spring Awakening), here offered up as a rock anthem that built slowly and steadily to an electric climax and featured a thrilling guitar solo by Berlin. Another was “The Streets of Dublin,” a great song given a great and specific delivery as Doyle summoned each of the characters evoked by the lyrics of Lynn Ahrens (music by Stephen Flaherty).
Speaking of highlights, Doyle was joined on stage by the positive energy force known as Bonnie Milligan for a riotously cheesy version of “Endless Love,” complete with a hapless attempt at choreography on the crowded stage. Other shining moments included the final number of his set, a simple and highly effective “Who Can I Turn To?” and as an encore, a double-speed delivery with flawless enunciation of the number that earned him a Tony Award, “Getting Married Today.” This star performer has a very busy future ahead of him, but hopefully he will make time for more golden cabaret appearances.
