Anthony Warlow & Faith Prince: Direct From Broadway – Adelaide Cabaret Festival Review

Festival Theatre, Tue Jun 10 It was with great anticipation that a packed Festival Theatre settled in for an evening of entertainment from two of musical theatre’s greatest talents today. Well known to Australian – and now Broadway audiences – Anthony Warlow returns from a two year stint treading the boards in NYC as Daddy Warbucks from Annie. Apart from earning huge acclaim in the role, Warlow bonded with the talented, Tony award winning star, Faith Prince, playing Miss Harrigan to his Daddy Warbucks. Their chemistry was obvious onstage as they shared a number of musical moments together including a delightful medley of songs from Annie. Interspersing duets such as The Honeymoon Is Over (I Do! I Do!), Do You Love Me? (Fiddler On The Roof)  and the creepy yet hilarious A Little Priest (Sweeny Todd) with mutual murmurs of platonic affection could have been a little syrupy for some yet this only added to the stories they were recreating onstage. Prince has a long and celebrated pedigree on Broadway and the audience delighted in her solo performances So Long Dearie (Hello Dolly!) and Take Back Your Mink from Guys And Dolls, the musical that launched her celebrated musical theatre career and the role for which she has won her Tony, along with the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award. Her voice is truly remarkable and has a chameleon like quality as she seamlessly transforms from one character to the next. Warlow treated audiences to a sensational Henry Higgins with Ordinary Man and wowed the crowd with Luck Be A Lady from Guys And Dolls. A real highlight of the evening came when Warlow let loose his considerable comedic talent, mimicking some of the greats, including Jimmy Cagney, Cary Grant, Walter Brennan, Marlon Brando (mob style!) and an absolutely side-splittingly superb Michael Crawford! Who knew the guy could be so hilarious? The Adelaide Arts Orchestra, led by Musical Director Joey Chancey, dominated the stage perhaps a fitting set design since the music was the hero of an evening that included some surprising song choices. There were no real huge moments and therefore no standing ovation, and no encore this night – not to say the audience didn’t enjoy themselves but perhaps were expecting – or at least hoping – for something more. by Rosie van Heerde