Adrienne Haan in White Christmas in Review
Adrienne Haan, Cabaret Singer; Richard Danley, Musical Director, Pianist, and Arranger;
Script by Laurence Pierron; Peter Martin, Producer
The Triad Theater, New York, NY
December 7th, 2018
Adrienne Haan is not only a highly gifted cabaret singer, but she is one of the most versatile that this listener has heard. She has been reviewed (and favorably) several times in New York Concert Review, but this reviewer heard her for the first time this past Friday at the Triad Theater in a show about the life and work of Irving Berlin. It was, to sum it up, a hit. Striding charismatically onstage in a glittering minidress, Ms. Haan proved herself, in an hour-plus of songs, medleys, and anecdotes, to be the consummate entertainer. She drew upon a wide range of singing gifts, from purest high notes at lyrical moments right down to a guttural comedic growl in the rowdier ones. She also proved to be a natural raconteuse.
The reason for the occasion (not that one needs a reason!) is that this year marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of Irving Berlin (1888-1989), one of America’s most celebrated songwriters. As Ms. Haan quoted Jerome Kern as saying, “Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music.” Composer of well over a thousand songs and the scores for several dozen original Broadway Shows and Hollywood films, Berlin may be best remembered for his beloved song White Christmas (from the 1954 film of the same name). It was thus an apt title for this show paying tribute to him as Christmas approaches. Ms. Haan sang around six songs from White Christmas towards the end of the program, including Count your Blessings Instead of Sheep (given an especially sweet delivery) along with a medley that included Happy Holiday, Let Yourself Go, Snow, and I’ve Got Love to Keep Me Warm. Concluding the set was White Christmas itself, for which she invited the audience to join the singing. It was a touching and generous gesture, even if there were some atonal contributions to Ms. Haan’s beautiful singing.
Throughout the show, Ms. Haan seamlessly wove details of Berlin’s life into the string of fifteen or so songs and medleys – a balance of vignettes, some heart-rending and some amusing. Though credit was given to a script-writer, Laurence Pierron, who presumably provided much of the rich biographical detail, Ms. Haan clearly made the show her own with impromptu touches. From the very opening number, There’s No Business Like Show Business (from Annie Get Your Gun, 1946), she showed she not only can sing, but she can move gracefully across the stage and spontaneously through the audience. Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin’s first international hit song composed in 1911) found Ms. Haan flirting with a handsome audience member (whom she dubbed one of her “victims”) and bringing him up to the stage. She spiced up her performances of The Hostess with the Mostes’ and Lichtenburg (both from Call Me Madam, 1950) with colorful descriptions of Perle Mesta (Berlin’s inspiration for the show) and followed the mock discovery of some risqué undergarments in the audience with the quip, “Diplomats! – kinky as hell.” There certainly wasn’t a dull moment.
Those wanting to hear the more familiar Irving Berlin output enjoyed a Hollywood/Broadway Medley that included the rhythmically energetic Blue Skies (from The Jazz Singer) and a warmly romantic renditions of Cheek to Cheek (from Top Hat) and They Say It’s Wonderful (from Annie Get Your Gun). Ms. Haan’s delivery of I Got the Sun in the Morning (also from Annie Get Your Gun) had particular gusto in the opening declarations of “got no diamonds, got no pearls.” Ms. Haan is a singer with an impressive range of registers, moods, and accents. Knowing of her German/Luxembourgian background, one is not surprised by her grasp of European languages (and she will be performing Kurt Weill in her upcoming season, having frequently performed German cabaret); her versatility with regional American accents, though, was a pleasant surprise.
Also quite familiar was the song Always, presented to Berlin’s wife Ellin McKay on their wedding day. Always is a song that has not only enjoyed popularity but also occasionally suffered from it. Trotted out ad nauseam by those of the “pitch and tone quality optional” schools of music, the song was at one point a cue for this musician to leave the room. Thankfully, Ms. Haan’s performance redeemed it from the realm of all things cornball, and this listener found herself appreciating its beauty once again.
It should be stressed that, despite the antics used to guarantee the attention of even the most attention-deficient audience, Ms. Haan possesses serious excellence as a musician. Her pitch was surefire throughout, and her vibrato, while ample, never obscured the music. She showed sensitivity to the harmonies throughout, especially in pairings with excellent pianist Richard Danley, who also sang quite beautifully with her in several songs.
There was only one song in the show not by Irving Berlin, and that was Oyfn Pripetchik (On the Hearth, song & lyrics by Mark Warshawsky (1848-1907). Sung in Yiddish, it was Ms. Haan’s tribute to Mr. Berlin’s origins as Israel Beilin, born in the shtetl of Tolochin in the Russian Empire (now in Belarus). It was a hauntingly beautiful performance. Also relating to the immigrant experience was Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor (from the 1949 musical Miss Liberty).
As part of what might be termed a “novelty” category, Marie from Sunny Italy was included, Berlin’s first published song from 1907. It was a great excuse for all sorts of mugging from Ms. Haan, as well as some fun pairing with Mr. Danley. Also included were several songs of a military nature, reminding one that Mr. Berlin had been drafted during World War One, an experience which had inspired the show Yip Yip Yaphank (1918), including the number, Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning. The latter, complete with mimicked bugle reveille was sung with humor and spirit, as was the later song This is the Army, Mr. Jones (from This is the Army, 1942).
Mr. Berlin’s patriotism was strong to a degree many today find implausible, and that was evident as Ms. Haan sang the song that he had composed for the IRS entitled I Paid My Income Tax Today (1942) – and for which he assigned all royalties to the United States Treasury Department! The text of this song expresses an almost jubilant pride in paying this nation’s taxes (including supporting US efforts in World War Two), but its overzealousness – somewhat predictably – took on a cartoonish cast with this modern-day audience. Ms. Haan played on the reaction with exaggerated zest, much to everyone’s amusement. Times have changed.
What has withstood the test of time much better is Berlin’s God Bless America, another song originally written for Yip Yip Yaphank in 1918 but only introduced some twenty years later. Ms. Haan sang it for an encore, and it was stirring, a moving ending to a memorable evening.
Ms. Haan repeats the show Monday, December 10, at the Triad – those able to obtain a seat will not be disappointed!
