Hannah Waddingham – St James Theatre

Hannah Waddingham performed her cabaret at the St James Theatre, London

Hannah Waddingham and Her Band performed at the St James Theatre, London.

Only a few weeks ago, Hannah Waddingham performed at the St James Theatre Studio, where she headlined Sondheim Women but sang just two songs. However, those disappointed by the statuesque West End diva’s all-too-brief appearance, were able to get their fix sated by attending this, her own cabaret show, staged in the main auditorium.

It’s been a while since Waddingham has offered up her sparkling cabaret set, occupied as she’s been with starring in A Little Hotel On the Side at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and before this Trevor Nunn’s revival of Kiss Me, Kate at Chichester and the Old Vic (as well as finding time to turn in an appearance as a bitchy factory worker in the movie adaptation of Les Miserables). This, combined with the slings and arrows of her personal life – alluded to in her cathartic set at St James – has deprived audiences of this charismatic chanteuse.

But what a return she made at the full 300-plus seater this week. Striding on to the pumping accompaniment of her fantastic seven-piece band, Waddingham – who in her sparkling gold heels must reach six foot tall – opened with the 1967 hit ‘Show Me’ by US soul singer Joe Tex. From the outset, it was clear we weren’t going to be getting one of those woefully self-indulgent evenings of nostalgia and schmaltz but an energetic, fun gig of what she called “the kind of music I like listening to on my iPod on the way to work!”

Unlike the rather dry, impersonal Sondheim Women, this was cabaret at its finest – a blend of chat, personal experience, favourite songs and musical experimentation (a jazzy, lounge version of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ was a particular if strange success). This last arrangement was credited to MD Chris Walker, whose face at times glowed as red as Waddingham’s stunning sequined dress, such was his fervour at the piano. His enthusiasm was matched by the first-rate band – bass (Joe Pettit), drums (Julian Poole), reeds (Kay Bywater, including a delicious bass sax), two trumpets (Pablo Mendelssohn, Will Smith) and a trombone (Ian Moffat) – and the occasional use of three backing singers.

Waddingham has a phenomenal vocal range and power. She seems at all times in control and totally in charge, coping ably with everything from Bette Midler belters (‘Stuff Like That There’) and big show tunes (‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’) to the intimate (‘Clopin Clopant’) and delicate (‘He Needs Me’) via the exotic (‘In These Shoes?’ and ‘Mambo Italiano’). Her ‘Send in the Clowns’ – a lovely reminder of her time as Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music and part of her two-song encore – was heart-wrenching and undoubtedly the highlight of the night.

Fingers crossed we see more of this kind of electrifying cabaret at St James. And if we do, let’s hope we don’t get a repeat of the technical problems that dogged the opening number: Waddingham’s microphone wasn’t on, or at least wasn’t turned up. Of course, she took it all in her immense stride, just as she did when one of her David Morris earrings dropped to the floor mid-song. And if you can’t get to see her soon, don’t worry, there’s an album on its way – as she herself sang: ‘The Best is Yet To Come…’

 Craig Glenday