Review: Isaac Mizrahi Confidently Conquers Café Carlyle Once More In THE MARVELOUS MR. MIZRAHI

Isaac Mizrahi is everyone's favorite multihyphenate. Best known for his eponymous fashion lines, he also has written several books, including a comic series, narrated children's stories for the Guggenheim, designed sets and costumes for Broadway, directed opera, hosted multiple television shows, the list goes on. But based on a recent, celebrated run as Amos Hart in Chicago and his newest two-week residency at the prestigious Café Carlyle, where I was privileged to have been a guest this past Valentine's Day, Isaac is making a triumphant return to his roots. In a brand new show titled The Marvelous Mr. Mizrahi, Isaac demonstrates, with plenty of panache, why he has a loyal audience returning year after year. Featuring material as varied as can be, which of course is expected from an individual that has spent a lifetime making a splash in every aspect of New York society, Isaac ascends the boundaries of genre and time to create a show of which only he is capable.

Packed and star-studded (Brooke Shields appeared, slightly before the performance was to start, appropriately wearing red for Valentine's Day), the dining room at the Café Carlyle was abuzz during the meal service prior to the show, and, from my little perch at the end of the bar, the room was a sight to see. Glamourous women in gowns, handsome men wearing dark suits, attendees outside the binary donning beautiful looks of their own, and more than a few were repeat customers. The couple sitting next to me had been enjoying Isaac's appearances at the Carlyle for years, a sign that I had a real treat in store. As I sipped the fanciest Shirley Temple I've ever been served (with three cherries and two orange slices) I watched the handsome six-piece band take the stage. The bar itself was studded with cards advertising the opportunity to ask Isaac questions during the show by filling out the backside of the card, "in the interest of avoiding anything resembling audience participation," which is a marvelous invention. Allowing personal interaction with the performer while avoiding the inevitable chaos that comes with inviting the audience to speak? Brilliant!

Obviously, this wouldn't be an Isaac Mizrahi show without some sort of insanely fabulous, yet contextually appropriate, look, and he delivers. In a classic Chanel tweed jacket with a flower broach as big as my head, and absolutely bedecked in jewels, Isaac looked as much a star as any star can appear, as one can only expect from such a giant of the fashion industry. Jumping right into a powerful rendition of "I'll Plant My Own Tree," penned by André and Dory Previn and made famous by Judy Garland, the audience was reminded that this night would be two things above all: very entertaining and very, very gay. This, of course, is my personal favorite kind of night. Sharing his musings on topics as diverse as Wordle, where he had had the best sex of his life (I'll let you ask that question at the show yourself to get the answer), and the state of the conversation around gender, Isaac was the complete package: belter, comedian, host, and booze hound; if you'd like a masterclass in the style of cabaret then get your booty over to Cafe Carlyle.

Isaac was supported by one of the most beautiful bands I've ever seen, a fact that he acknowledged early on and with great enthusiasm. With Ben Waltzer, his music director, on piano, Benny Benack III and Bruce Harris both on trumpet, Joe Perri on percussion, Neal Miner on bass, and Joe Strasser on drums, I learned more about this band than I think I ever will at another show. There is clearly much love between Isaac and his band, to the point where they freely joke together onstage. I'd be doing them a massive disservice, though, if I only mentioned their ogleability. Each and every one of those men is a master of their art. During "Pull Up to the Bumper" by the inimitable Grace Jones, each member of the cohort was given ample chance to show off, and every one of them did, with plenty of talent to spare. To quote my notebook, they were "so good, it's stupid." Crude mayhaps, but I can't think of a better way to let you know just how fabulous this band was.

Isaac had more than a few tricks up his sleeve over the course of the evening. Clearly used to being in charge, he had no problem counting the band in or ushering in a new tempo, which meant that the audience felt very comfortable leaning back and just enjoying themselves. As he bounced back and forth from contemporary pop with Billie Eilish's "Everything I Wanted" to Noël Coward's torch number "Mad About The Boy," and throwing in an original tune for good measure, Isaac Mizrahi not only had the talent but also the artistry to understand the demands of each genre. In a crowd favorite, Isaac wrote brilliantly witty, updated lyrics for Cole Porter's classic "You're the Top," with up-to-the-minute hilarious references such as asana yoga, Lizzo, and Chinese spy balloons. The whole song itself became a gay anthem, and I'll let you figure out how. You have to see it to believe it, honestly.

The Marvelous Mr. Mizrahi is just about sold out, but if you can snag yourself a ticket, do yourself a favor and do. It's a little grim out there right now, and, at the Café Carlyle, there is a bright star sharing just a little of his light with a grateful galaxy. Between the band, the banter, and the belting, I really cannot tell you what's best, because it all is. Reveling in a celebration of what it means to be able to just live life the way you want to, Isaac Mizrahi on a stage is exactly what the world needs right now.

Find your ticket to The Marvelous Mr. Mizrahi HERE.

Get tickets to other shows at Café Carlyle HERE.

Photos by David Andrako

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