Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Thursday 11th June 2015
A few years ago Bernadette Robinson brought the production, Songs for Nobodies, to the Cabaret Festival and received excellent reviews and audience responses. This year she is back with a new production,
Pennsylvania Avenue, in which she plays Harper Clements, who has worked in the East Wing of the White House for forty years, serving eight presidents, from John F Kennedy to
Bill Clinton. She looks back over that time, recalling some of the singers who had, in some way, had a connection to, and sung especially for those presidents.
Like the previous hit production this, too, is written by
Joanna Murray-Smith, and is directed by
Simon Phillips, with musical direction by
Ian McDonald.Harper is about to leave the White House and has an archive box full of her personal bits and pieces, including some memorabila of important moments and people. We find her in the Blue Room, the fine set and costume designed by Shaun Gurton and lit by
Nick Schlieper. On the walls are paintings of six of the earliest presidents which, during the performances change to show images associated with her narrative. Behind the blue curtains can be seen a group of unnamed musicians who do an excellent job, although the cymbals get a little too loud in the sound mix at times.
The previous production introduced us to several 'nobodies', ordinary people going about their lives, who had encounters with well known singers, giving Robinson the opportunity to show that she can not only act and sing up a storm, but also impersonate other singers with an uncanny accuracy. This production only has the one 'nobody' but features a lot more singers, albeit some of them represented by only snippets of their songs.
Harper, from Thunderbolt, Georgia, tells her story, rising from a nervous eighteen year old in a lowly position, to an important role in the White House, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Her reminiscences also extend to intimate insights into her personal life, with some very moving moments of poignancy.
Marilyn Monroe, singing 'happy birthday' to JFK, came as no surprise, marking the beginning of Harper's career. A cavalcade of singers follow, each one superbly brought to life by Robinson with nothing more than changes in her voice and demeanour. She has no need for wigs, costume changes, or make-up or, it seems, even a second of time to switch from one character to another.
Harper's great favourite is
Barbra Streisand and so, of course, she is given a prominent place, her rendition of
Don't Rain on my Parade being interrupted by a shot, with photos of the fatal shooting of Kennedy filling the picture frames behind her.
Robinson also embraces a range of genres, her classical training allowing her to include an aria from Bizet's Carmen, as sung by
Maria Callas, sounding remarkably like the diva.
Ella Fitzgerald,
Sarah Vaughan, Tammy Winette,
Aretha Franklin,
Diana Ross,
Peggy Lee, and even Bob Dillon, singing
Barry McGuire's
Eve of Destruction, were included.
Eartha Kitt once had a blazing row with 'Lady Bird' Johnson and that, too, is recalled.
The only question now remaining is whether this will travel the world like her last production and, I would suggest, the smart money is on the affirmative. It would be most intriguing to find out what American audiences make of it. A few eyes being dabbed showed that the emotional moments in Harper's life were powerfully conveyed by Robinson, and that it was more than the sensational singing and impersonations that carried the performance. Her characterisation of Harper is more than just a hook to hang them on.
The Cabaret Festival audience certainly loved it and, perhaps, there will be a return visit at some stage for the benefit of those that were unable to get tickets during this very short run.
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