(seen at the performance on 23rd May 2024)
As the concert title underlines, we are now reaching our final chances to see the stars of our childhoods; time cannot halt the sapping of energy needed to tour.
On the evidence tonight, Barry Manilow seems to have pretty well found a way to bypass this deficiency. Off-stage for only a minute or two in an entire hour and forty-five-minute set, he shuffles happily through song and dance routines with the same vigour as his far younger trio of backing singers.
A blue sparkly jacket for the first half, a pink sparkly jacket in the second, all eight spotlights on him when he chooses to be centre stage, a single when seated at his piano; it is his solo show, his catalogue of greatest hits and his regular audience paying their usual homage.
Unlike most of the biggest stars, he is entirely unashamed to produce his entire back-catalogue. No losing the audience by slipping in “my latest song, just written, hope you like (i.e. buy it by the shedload) it.”
Instead, he keeps it fresh by fixing in the classics and having a roaming union-flag-bearing team member pick Sophie, Maxine and Zoe as representatives from the stalls, royal and grand circles respectively to “choose” a song from his “Wheel of Barry” to add into the show tonight.
Thus “Riding Through The Sky,” Jump, Shout, Boogie” and “Some Kind Of Friend” are incorporated into the cascade of familiar hits.
“It’s a Miracle” opens the show and it was soon after that we were told he “Can’t Smile Without You.”
For musical theatre fans, “Sweet Heaven (I’m in Love Again)” is a reminder of both movie and stage show “Copacabana” – a score that these days seems strong by comparison with recent musical theatre offerings.
Naturally “Bermuda Triangle” (slightly ruined remembering it once advertising a middling box of 1990s chocolates) features, and the show continued to build.
An acapella opening to “I Made It Through The Rain” (a glorious lyric) proves the strength of his voice and power as a writer.
We are treated to the 25-cent street novelty store record he cut with his beloved grandfather – the first man to encourage him in music, and who started his first standing ovation at Carnegie Hall during his first hit tour.
Chat about better times, a self-deprecating reference to childhood, “before my nose grew properly” (British tabloid rudeness, frankly, apologies Mr Manilow) and a note that he is “Taylor Swift on a bad hair day” endear him to the crowd, but it is his musicianship which stands out.
Where else do you find a singer / songwriter who can state baldly that he took Chopin’s Nocturne in C Minor... play it on stage... and demonstrate it as the basis for his great hit “Could It Be Magic.”
Mixing in “Mandy” – audience in full voice with glowsticks (issued free to all on the way in - to start the glow, bend the thing gently to shatter the glass inside) prepares the audience for the arrival of the huge songs in the final run-in.
“I Write The Songs” at this late point in the show sums him up perfectly, and incidentally is performed to perfection.
The moment arrives, and “Copacabana” unleashes everybody as the Palladium shakes to the beat and the backing singers emerge in full Carnival regalia.
Leaving the audience begging for more, “It’s A Miracle” summarises how many feel about the Manilow magic. If his touring days are over, this is the way to say farewell and prove indeed that he really does write the songs that make the whole world sing.
4 stars.
Support act: Jimmy Tarbuck.
Not many entertainers can still manage 20 minutes at the age of 84. Jimmy can’t either, but he can do 20 minutes of stand-up and make it look effortless.
The Palladium stage embraced an old and close friend, and Mr Tarbuck was absolutely at home in a place he had met so many stars of the past.
A few jokes, old and new, a little sing-a-long – knowing nobody could resist as the audience finished the whole of “Do-Re-Mi” without encouragement – and a gracious re-appearance later as Manilow invited him onto the stage.
That much of the audience was checking their watches hoping for more told all anyone needed to know about another great man in UK entertainment.
A privilege to see him once more is all the monkey can say.