Review: Susan Edwards Martin's HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA Hits The Mark

I reviewed Susan Edwards Martin for the first time last February 3 at Vitello's. Here's what I wrote:

When I attend a cabaret show, I look for great talent and the ability of a performer to relate to the audience with warmth and humor. I've become a real snob about these things. If they are missing, I might as well have stayed at home.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have encountered a brand new nightclub star. Welcome the fabulous Susan Edwards Martin to the world of Los Angeles cabaret. She has performed amongst others in the past few years but An unpredictable Evening with Susan Edwards Martin on Sunday Febreuary 3 at Upstairs at Vitello's was her very first solo show, and, was she worth waiting for. A knockout singer and comic actress, Martin in some ways, might be considered the female Jason Graae. She holds her audience in the palm of her hand with friendliness and charm and exudes a nonstop fast paced energy that never lets down. The laughs come naturally, never forced. She's just funny, pure and simple. Accompanying her at the piano for the hour set was Sam Kriger, who comedically got into the act himself.

To say the very least Martin's Holiday Extravaganza show was a winner as well. She sang a handful of Christmas songs and had special guest stars like the comical Diane Vincent and terrific physical comedian George Solomon, whose antics had the audience in stitches.

Martin and Vincent did a terrific rendition of "Friendship" which was a comic gem for Lucy and Ethel on "I Love Lucy" back in the fifties. In this Case Martin and Vincent each bought the identical ugly green Christmas sweater and one of them swore to bring hers back, but neither did. They tear into each other literally as they sing about their glorious friendship. It's a delightful bit and brought down the house. Vincent returned later to essay in a cute little pj suit with hood a deliriously amusing rendition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" set to music. Her pantomime of the whole story was clownlike engaging.

Solomon did "Blue Moon" playing the three singers who usually sing the song, jumping back and forth to complete the verses. Another exceedingly funny number! Solomon also sang "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Let It Snow" to the lyrics "Where's the Snow?" describing the holiday in Los Angeles.

One of Martin's students Elise Snoonian played the violin to the "Fiddler on the Roof" song and did a lovely job, making its tone more comedic than serious. Martin added, "I taught her everything she knows." Solomon also commented about Martin when he claimed someone had told him "Do it like Susan Edwards Martin!" The lady is endearing to her audiences and has garnered quite the reputation and respect through the years among theatre lovers who know talent when they see it.

Martin's Christmas songs included Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song", sweetly devoted to me, "Jingle Bells", "The Man With the Bag", and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Her most memoprable highlights of the evening were a repetition from her original show "Born in My Heart" where she showed onscreen her trip to Romania and the adoption of her son Nick several years ago. This is a beautifully tender moment in the show where Martin displays her joy at becoming a mother late in life. There was a nice moment as well where she briefly plays the violin and sings "Tell Me Where Can I Go?" She closed with "It's All Good" and "Unlimited!" from her full length show.

It's pure heaven to attend a Susan Edwards Martin show. I sat with her husband Peter and son Nick, who are terrific people. To show the kind of lady she truly is, there were packages of homemade chocolate chip cookies on each table wrapped neatly with a Christmas ribbon and greeting ... for every guest in the audience. Great performer and stellar human being describe the one and only Susan Edwards Martin!