Jenny Brown

My Favorite Things

Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, December 28, 2023

Reviewed by Bart Greenberg

Jenny Brown, with her charming soprano and conversational delivery of lyrics, came to Don’t Tell Mama to tell her audience all about her favorite things, and she began with the title tune. Also on her list were certain songwriters, topics, and themes. It was the best kind of cabaret show—highly personal and filled with standards and some lovely surprises. Because the evening was directed by Lina Koutrakos, intelligence and class were in abundance, and the Brown’s immense personal charm sealed the deal, as they say.

Another major factor in the success of the evening was the musical arrangements by Christopher Marlowe, which included a wonderfully blended medley of songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David songs that told a complete and sad story. But his work was also gentle and uplifting in the obligatory Sondheim spot with a lovely combination of “Take Me to the World” and “So Many People,” two of Sondheim’s lesser-known compositions. Throughout, Yasuhiko (“Yaz”) Fukuoka provided sensitive accompaniment at the piano; it was surprising that the two artists had never worked together before.

The choice of songs was also surprising; they included selections from various sources, which is always a good thing. A beautiful setting of a passage by St. Paul of Tarsus by composer John Rubinstein had an almost classical appeal. A witty song from a forgotten 1950s Broadway revue, “The Commuter Song” by Baldwin Bergersen and Phyllis McGinley was surprisingly relevant today without any revisions to the lyric. Another rarity was Claibe Richardson and Kenward Elmslie’s “Beauty Secrets,” an almost hypnotic exploration of the sexual desires of middle-aged women, here given full force by Brown. Her romantic side was fully celebrated in a touching version of the evergreen “The Folks Who Live on the Hill.” Such versatility is a lovely thing to discover in a cabaret performer, and it promises much to look forward to in her future shows.