Cathy Taylor is a
pragmatist who sees things as they are and talks and
sings about them. Enough Already reveals her
attitudes and wit toward life and people. Using her
strong alto, she opened with “Everything,” sharing
the facts of being on the downside of middle age—
where gravity has taken your ass hostage, and the
learning importance of focusing on inner qualities.
“Ah, But Underneath,” a
Sondheim song written for Diana Rigg for a London
production of Follies, is the quirky kind of
lyric you’d expect to hear from a gal like Taylor.
She delivers with a lot of power, which occasionally
tends to overtake that which could be better served
in a more simple style. Parody lyrics to “This Magic
Moment”(called “This Manic Moment”)/”See You in
September” were a clever dose of therapist bashing,
while “Riddle” produced a serious moment, softly
filled with questions and answers about the world
and relationships. Hailing from the Lone Star State,
Taylor sang another parody to “The Yellow Rose of
Texas” renamed “There Are Psychopaths in Texas,”
referring to Texans as “perky people with easy
access to firearms.”
As the show continued,
the content became more introspective and
questioning, in lyrics and humor, regarding
politics, religion, the “World.” “I’m a stick shift
in a world of automatic transmissions,” says she,
displaying a soulful “Move On”/”This Train Don’t
Stop There Anymore.” Taylor is a thinker, referring
to America as an adolescent nation, a huge
dysfunctional family always bitching. She’s a
serious gal with a campy style that is unique and
likeable. Matthew Ward was Music Director.
Sandi Durell
Cabaret Scenes
April 17, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org
