Carole J. Bufford: Heart of Gold: A Portrait of the Oldest Profession
Carole J. Bufford
Heart of Gold: A Portrait of the Oldest Profession
54 Below, NYC, March 21, 2015
Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes
The girl that I once wrote was the perfect “flapper” has taken a turn for the worse and has become a “lady of the evening” — musically that is. Carole J. Bufford’s new show at 54 Below was a carefully selected series of songs regarding every aspect of prostitution. Scantily clad in black undergarments, Bufford looks the part, which adds to the fun. The show was broken into six segments—Madame, Last Dance, Reckless Youth, Street Scene, Midnight Encounter and Opportunist—with two or three appropriate songs for each. Bufford used quotes from such diverse sources as Noël Coward, Steve Martin and Polly Adler to introduce each segment.
Bufford’s dramatic singing style allowed her to mix songs culled from different eras smoothly: A reading of the verse of “Ten Cents a Dance” led into Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean. “A Guy What Takes His Time” brought back memories of Mae West. Her putting on a mink coat added to the humor of a three-song “Daddy” medley. “Love for Sale” was done with the appropriate poignance and sadness. Bufford went into the packed crowd for her closing number, “Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road,” and saved the best for last, a rousing encore: “The House of the Rising Sun.”
Category: Cabaret Reviews, New York City, New York City Cabaret Reviews
