Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Justin Vivian Bond and Anthony Roth Costanzo clash and mesh spectacularly in ONLY AN OCTAVE APART

• By drediman
• September 27, 2021
• No Comments

Last week, St. Ann’s Warehouse returned to in-person events when it commenced performances of Only an Octave Apart, an elaborate cabaret act starring downtown cabaret legend Justin Vivian Bond and trending countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. To say that this is an unlikely pairing would be an understatement, both in terms of their musical styles, as well as their respective temperaments. Despite their considerable differences, the two struck a deep friendship during the pandemic – a relationship and collaboration that yielded an album and now culminates with a series of live performances at St. Ann’s Warehouse.

Bond has been a mainstay in New York’s cabaret scene for decades now, garnering acclaim for shows marked by v’s (Bond’s preferred pronoun) dry and caustic stage persona. Musically, v has an instinctual way with songs, fearlessly wielding that gravelly, instantly recognizable voice to get to the beating heart of songs. Mr. Costanzo, on the other hand, boasts a genuinely sweet and considerate personality, and his soaring angelic voice has made him a rising star on the world’s grandest operatic stages (he caused a sensation in the title role of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten at the Metropolitan Opera). You’d think that the show’s contrasting styles and song choices – the evening alternates between cabaret standards and operatic selections – would clash, and you wouldn’t be wrong. However, they also mesh spectacularly on a visceral and even metaphorical level, proving that vast differences, especially when the chemistry is as genuine as it is here, can unite to produce something that approaches magic. Nowhere is this more evident than in the evening’s electric encores, particularly the mash-up of the Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian” and the “Hymn to the Sun” aria from Akhnaten.

As directed and co-created by Zack Winokur, the production unfolds organically and with an abundance of humor (also expect a few witty surprises along the way). The general tone of Only an Octave Apart is one of a whimsical vaudeville act, which smartly softens the stark contrast between the two performers. It’s also a stylish evening which features sophisticated lighting by John Torres and outlandish costumes by Jonathan Anderson (over the course of the evening, both Costanzo and Bond appear in a parade of fabulous costumes, much to the delight of the audience). The production also features inspired playing by a live pit band, as music directed by Thomas Bartlett.

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ONLY AN OCTAVE APART
Cabaret / In-person
St. Ann’s Warehouse
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Through October 3