Life Is A Cabaret

Ever since I saw Jennifer Walls as Liza Minelli at Fringe, I wanted to check out her weekly open mic/karaoke called SINGular Sensation. Monday was her 30th birthday so I thought it would be the perfect time to head to Statlers to check it out. I arrived just in time for a surprise birthday welcome for Walls. When you have friends in the arts, they make you a cake with Liza doll on top and sing Happy Birthday in multi-part harmony.

Most people who signed up to take their turn on the tiny stage chose musical theatre numbers instead of pop songs: from the popular (Suddenly Seymore) to the more obscure (A Day With Julia). Walls made an engaging hostess and also sang a number or two. With work in cartoons, she had quite the knack for voices, especially kiddy ones. The atmosphere was raucous though and the basic sound set-up couldn't really compete over the noise. It was fun but I realized something interesting. Without the staging and the story, I actually don't like musical theatre much; the mannered singing doesn't engage me.