James Barbour
15th Annual Christmas Show
Birdland, NYC, December 12, 2022
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg
Photo: Kevin Alvey
James Barbour has a glorious baritenor voice that he has used to great advantage in multiple Broadway shows, including The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. It is one of those instruments that seems so natural and pure that it has a life of its own. Whether he was offering seasonal classics (a very moving medley of “White Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”) or theatrical tunes (“To Have You Once More” from Love Never Dies), there was a shimmer in the air when he was singing. And he certainly has a devoted following who filled Birdland and cheered everything he did in his 15th Annual Christmas Show. Therefore, it was unfortunate that much of the show was a shambles.
He spent far too much time hawking a book about his philosophies of being an “entrepreneur” and promoting a show he is doing in Florida. Vague promises of eventually bringing it into New York City really didn’t make it more relevant, nor did his constant insistence that the audience members use their phones to enter a contest help matters. The show ran nearly an hour and three-quarters; without a stronger structure, it cried out to be tightened up. An endless audience-participation version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” seemed to actually go on for 12 days. His conversations with his two guest stars seemed to be trying to achieve a Rat Pack vibe, but they just sounded as though it was under-rehearsed and was unprofessional chit chat.
Those two guests were Broadway producer and entertainer Dale
Badway and basso Philip Boykin, who is currently appearing in The Music Man.
Both contributed greatly to the evening.
Badway delivered a delightfully idiosyncratic, big-voiced version of “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” and an Elvis-like “Blue Christmas.” Boykin offered a charming treatment of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” that was full-voiced and thrilling. The three men united for two numbers at the end of the program in straightforward and uncluttered versions of “The Impossible Dream” and “Silent Night.” These were some of the high points of the long evening.
Another low point came when Barbour began “The Dreidel Song” and flubbed the lyrics. Rather than picking it up where he left off, he mumbled that the song goes on and on and abandoned it. He then began another Hebrew song before dismissing it after a few bars. It was all a bit offensive to the Jewish members of the audience. Music director Rachel A. Kauffman offered excellent support throughout, including keeping up with these sudden shifts and changes. This had the potential to be an excellent show, but unfortunately, a lack of organization, thought, and taste did it in.
