Presented by Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Reviewed Wednesday 12th June 2013
David Pomeranz has great credentials as a song writer. His songs have been recorded by people as diverse as Cliff Richard, Bette Midler and Cleo Laine, to mention only a few. In the early 90’s Pomeranz wrote a stage musical called The Little Tramp which is the basis for Chaplin: a Life in Concert.
In 90 minutes this consummate artist presents all the salient facts of Charlie Chaplin’s life, playing all 25+ characters and keeping the legend alive. We meet all three of his wives: Mildred and Lita who divorced him and took what they could get, and Oona who, despite their age difference, stayed with him and supported him during the hardest years of his life.
The story starts in a London Music Hall in 1892 where a young Chaplin is watching his mother sing, and ends in 1972 in LA at the Academy Awards where Chaplin received an honorary award for his services to cinema. A full and colourful life!
The songs are well written; the music, well performed; the story, crying out to be told. The only flaw was that 90 mins is a long time to watch a man in black, seated mostly at the piano. Also because it is a Cabaret performance, there is not much chance of seeing more than head and shoulders.
The show was engaging however, and I now know more about Chaplin than I did. The show reminded me of how much laughter he brought to the world and that he was a sincere, if flawed individual. It is a portrait of a life drawn by an admirer.
This show will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is clever and if you have any interest in Chaplin, or the remarkable Mr David Pomeranz, you should try to catch it.
Reviewed by Fran Edwards
Venue: Festival Theatre Stage, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: 12-14 June
Duration: 1hr 30mins
Tickets: $39.90 – $54.90
Bookings: Book at BASS
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