Regular readers of my reviews will know that I have really enjoyed Broadway Records' releases in their Live At 54 Below series of late. These have been live recordings, featuring various stars of Broadway in the renowned club in the heart of Broadway, and have been, for me, immensely entertaining.

So, I was equally pleased to receive the latest release, this time featuring Laura Benanti with her recording In Constant Search of The Right Kind of Attention, recorded at the club in May 2013. So successful was this run (her second), that she returns to the club later this month for a rematch.

Benanti has brought her unique abilities to comedies, dramas and musicals since she took Broadway by storm at the age of 18. She received a Drama Desk award, Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Nomination for her starring role in the Broadway production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown for Lincoln Center, where she also starred in Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play. Ms. Benanti also demonstrated her comic flair in the Public Theater's production of Christopher Durang's Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them.

Ms. Benanti earned the 2008 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her revelatory portrayal of Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy opposite Patti LuPone and directed by Arthur Laurents. Her other Broadway roles include her Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominated performance of Cinderella in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and her sultry Tony nominated turn in Swing! She also starred opposite Antonio Banderas as his muse in the celebrated revival of Nine. Benanti began her multifaceted career as Maria in The Sound of Music opposite Richard Chamberlain.

So, with such a strong CV, you would expect the recording to be full of memorable stories and performances. Unfortunately, I couldn't find an enormous amount to cheer about with this release. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed it. It was a pleasing listen, and there is not a lot not to like about it. But I just feel it was an opportunity missed. There are some songs and performances of note on here - 'Mr Tanner', 'Unusual Way' and 'Model Behavior' set the standard. Unfortunately they are the last 3 numbers on the recording. Before then, you have to sit through some pretty ordinary stuff - stuff you could hear on any cruise ship, or in any Vegas cocktail lounge. I have no idea why 'On The Street Where You Live' was included, and even less 'I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore'.

The other numbers were better - the Joni Mitchell number 'He Comes for Conversation' is an inspired choice, and I quite enjoyed the numbers written by Todd Almond (who also joins her on the recording), but for me, the whole recording just doesn't gel.

I will continue to look out for the 54 Below recordings - I just hope Broadway Records don't get into the habit of recording EVERYTHING that appears there, and not apply some sort of quality filter to what gets released. Or is it just too much of a good thing?

7

Ian Gude