DORIS: Doris Day So Much More Than The Girl Next Door – Melinda Schneider Review

Festival Theatre, Wed Jun 25

It’s Melinda Schneider’s voice which carries this show: warm, rich and powerful – like Doris Day herself. Schneider’s keen to point out, however, that her show isn’t an impersonation of the 90-year-old film legend, which leaves her free to tell Day’s story how she chooses and interpret her songs as she wishes. And so she does: delivering Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps and the finale Que Sera Sera with effortless polish and a broad smile. In among songs pruned from a career catalogue of more than 600, Schneider weaves a painstakingly researched histoire of Day… and we find out the reality of her life behind the glamour.

Day’s reputation was as a squeaky clean film star with a happy life. But if an audience came here expecting sunny escapism on a wintry evening, they would have been disappointed because Schneider doesn’t hold back on the darker details of Day’s life. Then again, the clue’s in the title: she really is so much more than the girl next door. And this works, it is interesting, painting the reality of so many actors’ lives behind doors. In Day’s case, a series of disastrous marriages with controlling men littered her life (These days her 14 dogs are her true loves!)

It was somewhat ironic that, rather than being a fame-hungry diva, all Day ever wanted (at least in her early career) was to be a wife and mum and live in a house with a picket fence. Schneider stresses, however, that Day has always maintained an upbeat attitude – even turning round being hit by a train into a winning career move!

Latter day Doris was accused of being too saccharine and the sugary-sweet script can be too much in places with some tame jokes and false enthusiasm. Schneider’s so much better when she ad libs and even more so when she explains the parallels with her life and that of Day. Schneider has had her own fair share of life’s woes and talks about her own divorce and the troubles that went along with it. On familiar ground with the country-style numbers, she throws herself into The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away!) and The Black Hills of Dakota from Calamity Jane.

The two all-singing all-dancing all-acting sidekicks, Jordan Pollard and James Bryers, double, treble and quadruple as Doris’s husbands, leading men and wisecracking critics. Schneider’s Dancing with the Stars stint definitely pays off as she taps her way through several numbers with them – and how her voice remains flawless, while she is also breastfeeding, is impressive.

The eight-piece Doris Big Band and swanky set featuring a chandelier add class, while Schneider also performed four costume changes. The five outfits included a 1950’s frock and some charming cocktail dresses – but a PVC all-in-one was incongruously distracting. While Schneider explains it’s OK given she’s not doing an exact Doris impersonation, nevertheless it seems an out of place personal touch where other autobiographical details were fitting.

As Day turned 90 earlier this year we rounded off the evening by making a phone video birthday tribute. Thoughtful touches such as this really made the show and it was no surprise to see Schneider’s natural warmth afterwards when she happily signed autographs and met a long line-up of happy fans.

Melinda Schneider takes us on a Sentimental Journey with Doris Day and it’s a dreamy double take, with a voice to match.

by Jenny Thompson