Liza Live! – Live at Zédel

Liza Live! at Live at Zédel, London,

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Since the cancellation of her Q&A concert at the London Paladium two seasons ago, Liza Minnelli has been away from the spotlight, so it’s good to have her back on stage, at least in spirit as portrayed by the multi-talented Rick Skye in his affectionate tribute show, first seen in London at the Theatre Museum in 2002, then at the Leicester Square Theatre, followed by a stint at the Apollo as part of a double bill with the equally brilliant Steven Brinberg as Simply Barbra.

Definitely more a tribute, even a declaration of love than a parody, Skye sets the tone with ‘Yes’ from Kander and Ebb’s 70, Girls, 70, beautifully re-arranged into a mash-up with ‘Sing Happy’, another anthem written by the same team from Flora the Red Menace.

Two iconic songs from Cabaret aptly follow: ‘Don’t Tell Mama’ from the stage show and ‘Mein Chair (Mein Herr!)’ from the movie, both with hilarious new lyrics by Skye.

The tenderness Skye feels toward Minnelli is obvious in his rendition of ‘Quiet Love’, a moving song Charles Aznavour wrote for his friend, but he soon camps it up again with his send up of ‘Single Ladies’ mashed up with ‘Ring Them Bells’ – complete with Beyoncé moves.

Billy Lykken, whose cabaret act Sacred Monster, staged by Skye, is also Live at Zédel this week, then joined forces with a spirited ‘Hurray For Love’ medley.

Emotion again follows with the ‘A Quiet Thing’/‘Maybe This Time’ combination, ‘I Am My Own Best Friend’ (Minnelli’s favourite Chicago song she turned into a solo when she subbed for the great Gwen Verdon in 1975), plus ‘And the World Goes ’Round’, the New York, New York song which gave Kander and Ebb (amusingly referred to as ‘Scrambled and Egg’ by Skye) the title of their first song catalogue.

‘Stepping Out’/‘Losing my Mind’ is another showstopper, brilliantly arranged and a welcome addition to Skye’s highly polished act. ‘Betty Ford’ is the hilarious send-up to the tune of ‘Sara Lee’, the only Kander and Ebb number of the evening not coming from a movie or show.

‘Cabaret’/‘Over the Rainbow’ is a fitting and emotional finale, followed by a Kay Thompson (Minnelli’s godmother) ditty and the inevitable ‘New York, New York’ encore.

Wonderfully accompanied by the magic fingers of Yasuhiko Fukuoka, this new edition of Liza Live! is not to be missed, whether or not you are a fan of the icon. A 70-minute emotional rollercoaster ride with a true artist who is so much more than just a female impersonator with a voice.

Patrick Honoré