WALK ME TO THE CORNER conceived by Brent Carver and Reza Jacobs (Harold Green Jewish Theatre). At the Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge). Runs to November 20. $40-$75. See listing. 1-855-985-2787, hgjewishtheatre.com. Rating: NNNNN
Actor/singer Brent Carver communicates from the heart like no one else I know.
His latest cabaret show, Walk Me To The Corner, devised for the Harold Green Jewish Theatre by Carver and musical director Reza Jacobs, is the kind of mash-up that brings together words and music performed with warmth, generosity and an energetic, jaw-dropping talent.
Who else would start a show with the title song from Mel Brookss film Blazing Saddles, segues seamlessly into Man Of La Mancha and then to Kurt Weills little-known Cowboy Song? Oh and along the way theres a musical line from the film Exodus. Partway through his performance it becomes clear that this sets theme is various sorts of heroes.
Able to shift from a ringing top note to a pianissimo and ring emotional changes equally far-ranging, Carver keeps surprising us. He creates a textured mosaic by intercutting Shakespeares seven ages of man speech from As You Like It with bits of Ill Build A Stairway To Paradise puts together a war medley that draws on Irving Berlin and Funny Girl beautifully shifts mood and tone in contrasting numbers from The Boys From Syracuse, My Fair Lady and West Side Story.
Each song tells a story, and with the help of Jacobs at the piano, Anna Atkinson on accordion, violin and viola and lighting by Jennifer Lennon, Carver mesmerizes us with sonnets, personal anecdotes and songs from Fiddler On The Roof, which he performed at Stratford, and Parade, the show in which he starred on Broadway. He makes a sleazy Vegas lounge singer intriguing instead of a turn-off and later offers a spoofing charm to Kander and Ebbs love letter to Sara Lee sweets.
Carvers new combination of songs and storytelling is a must-see hes a performer who never disappoints.
