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Sightings of Maria Friedman in the wild have become increasingly rare of late. One of the most celebrated British musical theatre actors of all time, with eight Olivier nominations, three wins, and lead roles in the UK premieres of numerous classic shows, the last couple of decades have seen her drift towards screen acting and stage directing (indeed, her pal Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ has just been announced as part of the off-Broadway NYTW’s new season, with Daniel Radcliffe starring and Friedman directing).
A stint in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ aside, she’s not been in a musical in aeons. So it’s bracing to be reminded via this new concert show just how supple and powerful the 61-year-old’s voice sounds: ‘Legacy’ reminds us that she really is one of the all-time great singers, her voice undimmed by years of stage performances.
‘Legacy’ has a twofold meaning. It’s a concert tribute to the musical legacies of the late composers Michel Legrand, Marvin Hamlisch and, of course, Stephen Sondheim, all of whom Friedman counted as friends and collaborators. And it’s a way of passing the torch to a younger generation, with the show featuring various guests including young people from the Royal Academy of Music.
It is, undeniably, a pretty cosy set-up. On stage, the chatty, unpolished, definitely un-diva-like Friedman is surrounded by singer and musician pals. She makes us feel like old buddies too, as she drops a string of doubtless well-worn but thoroughly entertaining anecdotes about her departed chums.
The show is somewhat free-form, with no fixed running time and a varying setlist each night, and Friedman isn’t afraid to hand the limelight over to other singers, which is a mixed blessing. The opening rendition of Sondheim’s peerless ‘Being Alive’ is a brilliant showcase for the whole ensemble, with the complex, jagged harmonies of its climax done full justice by the dozen or so vocalists. But when she actively wanders to let somebody else sing it can feel a bit meandering.
Her temporary gifting of the spotlight to super-talented young Indonesian student performer Desmonda Cathabel is undoubtedly a great and generous move. But while male co-vocalists Matthew White, Ian McLarnon and her son Alfie are undeniably talented, Friedman is manifestly the bigger singing talent, which means that ‘Legacy’ can feel quite rambling and digressive. You could make a similar point about the decision to not focus on Sondheim: his songs are far more dramatic and daring than LeGrand’s and Hamlisch’s, and the show’s pulse drops when it strays away from his immaculate oeuvre.
That said, the actual highlight of the show is unexpected: a jaw-dropping solo Friedman performance of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now’, added to the set for International Women’s Day but surely worth keeping beyond that. The simple combination of astonishing voice and astonishing song has an unadorned brilliance and directness that’s rare in the delightful but overstuffed ‘Legacy’.