Judy Collins: Judy Collins Sings Sondheim

Steve Murray | March 6, 2015

Judy Collins

Judy Collins Sings Sondheim

Venetian Room, San Francisco, CA, February 28, 2015

Reviewed by Steve Murray for Cabaret Scenes

Judy Collins always had a knack for choosing material from soon-to-be famous rising lyricists. In the 1960s, she sang the words of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, Randy Newman and, of course, Bob Dylan. In 1975 she scored big with Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” a bittersweet ballad of disappointment and romantic rejection. In this new work in progress, Collins offers a nice selection of Sondheim’s works, but the show bogs down with unnecessary banter and non-essential inclusions of non-Sondheim material. This can edited out to tighten the show.

Collins still has a lovely soprano, with a slight vibrato that pleases the ear. I’m not sure it works, though, on Sondheim material that requires more of an edge: lyrics whose intent elicits sarcasm, derision, sorrow and even disdain. There is little variation in tone, phrasing and volume in Collins’s delivery. Yes, they all have the Collins beauty, but all sounded the same. “Being Alive” and “I’m Still Here” should be bold statements of survival, longevity and hope. Sondheim lyrics should sing, not just be sung.

There were a few moments when Collins and Sondheim merged—“Anyone Can Whistle,” “Move On” (Sunday in the Park with George), “No One Is Alone” (Into the Woods) and “Liaisons” (A Little Night Music) were lovely. New shows are rarely finished products and, with some tinkering, Judy Collins Sings Sondheim may shine like the artist and lyricist-composer do.

Tags: A Little Night Music, American Songbook, Anyone Can Whistle, Being Alive, Bob Dylan, Broadway, Broadway Musicals, Cabaret Scenes, Female Vocalist, Great American Songbook, I’m Still Here, Into the Woods, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen, Liaisons, Move On, Nightclubs, No One Is Alone, Phil Ochs, Popular Song, Randy Newman, San Francisco, Send in the Clowns, Show Tunes, Singer, Sondheim, Songbook, Stephen Sondheim, Steve Murray, Sunday in the Park with George, Supper Clubs, Tom Paxton, Venetian Room, Vocalist