THE HANGOVER REPORT – Julia Murney soulfully commands the cabaret stage at Feinstein’s/54 Below in SOOTHE MY SOUL

Julia Murney performs “Soothe My Soul” at Feinstein’s/54 Below (photo by Adrian Dimanlig).

Last night, I caught the second of a pair of performances of Soothe My Soul, the great Julia Murney’s new cabaret show at Feinstein’s/54 Below (Friday’s performance was also live-streamed). For those of you unfamiliar with Ms. Murney, the musical theater actress is perhaps best known for playing Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, as well as originating the role of Queenie in Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party.

In a bold move, Soothe My Soul veers away from musical theater songs that established her name in the industry. Nowhere in sight are the crowd-pleasing “Raise the Roof” and “Defying Gravity”. Not to say that the Broadway songbook wasn’t represented. Indeed, one of the highlights of the evening was when Ms. Murney memorably teamed with special guest guitarist Eleri Ward to produce a delicate, gorgeous rendition of the late Stephen Sondheim’s “With So Little to Be Sure of”. Overall, her set list was carefully chosen and deeply personal, comprised of songs that have gotten her through the pandemic and evoke her current state of mind. From The Beatles to Queen to John Waite (a stunning “Missing You”), she emoted through song with the best of them. Her voice remains as distinctive as ever – its forceful, steely quality (that incisive vibrato!) still cuts through songs like a knife. Throughout, Ms. Murney was music directed by Will Van Dyke, who skillfully guided the show through its eclectic musical styles.

One of the great things about cabaret is the opportunity get intimately acquainted with the performer. In Soothe My Soul, Ms. Murney wore her heart on her sleeve, all the while soulfully commanding the cabaret stage with her disarming honesty and vibrant sense of humor. She’s has a natural knack for cabaret performance (her storytelling was flawless and her transitions were seamless), and I’d like to see more of her in this kind of setting.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

JULIA MURNEY: SOOTHE MY SOUL
Cabaret
Feinstin’s/54 Below
80 minutes (without an intermission)
Closed

Categories: Cabaret

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