Christina Bianco
The Pheasantry, London, UK, February 11, 2023
Reviewed by Gavin Brock
On Saturday night, Christina Bianco celebrated her birthday in style with a sell-out concert at The Pheasantry. It was the perfect opportunity to be selfish, she reasoned. Instead of focusing on the impersonations that have her global acclaim, tonight she would perform the songs as herself and not letting “the divas” take over the show. Accompanied by her superlative music director Ryan Mackenzie, Bianco delivered a unique one-woman show. She embraced the familiar repertory of the greatest names in the music industry while she managed to put her unique spin on each song.
These songs included a fabulously funny reworking of “Liza with a Z,” inspired
by occasions when her own name had been similarly mangled, and a touching
rendition of “People” from Funny Girl. While delivering classic songs
associated with such legends as Minnelli and Streisand, Bianco revealed herself
to be a gifted interpreter in her own right, demonstrating her incredible vocal
control and irresistible charisma in every number. The first act closed with a
heartfelt and soaring rendition of “I Only Have Eyes for You,” that left the
audience exhilarated.
After an interval, Bianco, now in a gorgeous blue-tassled outfit designed by her friend Louise Muir, leaned into a darker noirish jazz tone, featuring songs from City of Angels and Dick Tracy. Fans of her impersonations were not to be disappointed; Bernadette Peters and Madonna made opportune cameos. Later on, we were treated to the full parade of divas in the grand finale number, “I’ve Got to Be Me.”
Even absent of her vocal impersonations, Bianco shines with the star quality of her icons. Her talent and her gift for storytelling left the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. If her intention was to emerge as an artist on her own terms with an original voice of her own, she unarguably did. The birthday may have been hers, but what a wonderful gift we all got to enjoy! Now that she has confirmed that she is a permanent resident in the UK, the music scene can expect to see a lot more of her in the future. This indeed gives us a reason to celebrate.
