Karen Mason – Crazy Coqs

Karen Mason performed Right Here/Right Now at the Crazy Coqs, London

Karen Mason performed Right Here/Right Now at the Crazy Coqs, London.

More and more regularly they are putting the ‘All Seats Sold’ sign outside the Crazy Coqs at the Brasserie Zedel and this is no small thanks to that doyenne of the cabaret circuit Ruth Leon. Keen to introduce new acts from the US to the UK, and in particular to this most elegant of venues, Leon strives to put together a fresh mix of homegrown talent alongside some of the biggest names from New York and beyond. This week marks the long overdue London debut of Karen Mason with her show Right Here/Right Now.

A regular on the Broadway stage for more than 30 years, Mason originated the role of Tanya in Mamma Mia!, the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland (Broadway 2011) and, amongst other roles, went on to achieve critical acclaim as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard both on Broadway and in Los Angeles. In her introduction Leon commented on the mesmerising power of Mason’s voice, but it’s not until the singer bursts into the opening chords of Bernstein and Sondheim’s ‘Something’s Coming’ that you understand what she means.

Mason’s grasp of the power of the music may be phenomenal, but it is the clarity of the lyric that is impressive and an unapologetically popular set is given new life. Classics of the Great American Songbook are juxtaposed with songs from Disney and Mamma Mia!, but it’s a tribute to the performer that nothing seems out of place. Blessed with thoughtful and imaginative musical arrangements and a particularly strong and sympathetic pianist in Mark Hummel, Mason owns the room.

It is perhaps difficult to pull out highlights, with so many new takes on old favourites, but it is interesting to hear with crystal clarity the lyrics to ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, and to witness the relatively lightweight ‘I Have a Dream’ take on a sense of purpose without losing the simple, engaging melody. ‘People’ from Funny Girl is temporarily stolen from Barbra Striesand’s grasp, but it is Mason’s journey through the emotional territory of Lloyd Webber’s ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ that is perhaps worth the price of the ticket alone.

Personal information is sadly kept to a minimum, although Mason’s enthusiasm for the room, her team and London in general, makes the performer an amiable host. Undoubtedly a lyricist’s cabaret singer, Mason’s meticulous negotiation of each number, coupled with a power-house voice, brings a touch of Broadway to a sleepy summer evening in London. We can only hope that the ‘All Seats Sold’ sign remains resolutely in place outside the Crazy Coqs, long enough at least to give hope for her return to these shores in the not-too-distant future.

Paul Vale