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From Judy to Bette: The Stars of Old Hollywood

 
Rebecca Vines Review by Rebecca Vines 4 Published: 9 Aug 2019 Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose Show Dates: 31 Jul 2019-26 Aug 2019

Rebecca Perry’s one-women tribute to four icons of the Golden Age of cinema is a cheery and bouncy hour celebrating Bette Davis, Judy Garland, Betty Hutton and Lucille Ball. Throughout the show, Perry sings some of their most recognisable numbers and drops in little soupçons of biographical information along the way.

Good-hearted, upbeat and lots of fun

Little new is learned about the women, for the hour is really a scaffolding opportunity for Perry to showcase and switch between her range of vocal and comic skills. She doesn’t impersonate the women as such, but accentuates some of their more recognisable idiosyncrasies. Davis – cigarette; Garland – wide-eyes; Hutton – goofy; and Ball – flinty. As a result, the piece can feel a little uneven at times, and although she is clearly in genuine thrall to each of the stars, Perry’s connection with Judy Garland and Lucille Ball feels stronger than that of the Betts, and the show would perhaps benefit from extending focus on these two. Certainly, whilst singing Garland’s ballads, Perry’s warm and rich voice finds much of Garland’s smoky yearning, and even at the space of eighty years, one can feel the desperation and sadness cutting through the lyrics and campy mannerisms.

Ably supported by her pianist and a range of representative props, Perry conjures a cabaret style atmosphere which is well suited to the venue. The script isn’t always sure if it’s championing feminism, unapologetically fan-girling, or delivering a biographical sketch, but that probably doesn’t matter for those who simply want to hear some classic standards belted out. The show breaks little in the way of new ground, but – one suspects much like Perry herself – is undeniably good-hearted, well-intentioned, upbeat and lots of fun.

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The Blurb:

Judy Garland. Lucille Ball. Bette Davis. Betty Hutton. Trailblazers refusing to be “just another ingénue” during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Weaving scandalous headlines, famous songs and comedy gold, journey through the groundbreaking careers of screen legends of yesteryear. Fresh from selling out 20+ cities worldwide, this solo show is created and performed by triple BroadwayWorld award-winner Rebecca Perry (Stage/TV’s Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl; ***** 2015 EdFringe sell-out run). “Gorgeous jazz voice with Cole Porter-esque perkiness.” - Broadway Baby; “Perry doesn’t impersonate, she encapsulates.” - Slotkin Letter; ***** FringeGuru.com, CBC.