CRAZY 1961

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HUFFPOST CULTURE |Cabaret Hotline | Bistro Awards

First Nighter: Mark Nadler's Outstanding, Outrageous 'Crazy 1961'

When the amazing Mark Nadler performs, I never fail to find myself thinking about the talent/luck equation. If x (talent) + y (luck) = Big Star, how are x and y measured? Is x regularly bigger than y? You'd think it would be or should be, but considering the myriad no-talents or modicum-talents with significant reputations abounding nowadays, that theory doesn't hold so firmly.

The answer, of course, is that x and y undoubtedly differ according to the individual and will never be, and can never be, quantified. In Nadler's case, the x is extremely large and the y is apparently not nearly large enough. Which isn't to say that the outstandingly outrageous and outrageously outstanding entertainer hasn't achieved a notable success. At the moment and as he has been for many years, he's one of few performers appearing regularly in the (too frequently denigrated) cabaret field actually earning a living at the endeavor.

Working constantly in New York City as well as across the country and the Pond, Nadler is known but not in the way, say, Al Jolson or Danny Kaye or Victor Borge or Jerry Lee Lewis -- all of whom he resembles in one way or another -- were or are known and celebrated. That's to say, he's not a household word when he should be. After all, he's as brazenly self-aggrandizing as Jolson could be, as delightfully hyper as Kaye often presented himself, as gifted and goofy at the piano as Borge habitually was, and as piano-rockin' as Lewis couldn't stop himself from being.

Then what's held Nadler back from consistently landing major bookings? Is it that he arrived at a time when Jolson, Kaye, Borge and Lewis represent show-biz acclaim of a prior era. Maybe, but maybe not. After all, that talent will out should operate in any age, shouldn't it? Is it that, as many have said about him, he comes on too strong? Maybe, but maybe not. Did anyone ever come on stronger than Jolson, whom audiences ate up with a spoon? Is it that there's no one quite like him around now, and consequently there's no easy way to connect him to a wider public? (Elton John may come closest, but he's also a pop-tune composer, which is one thing Nadler doesn't claim to be.) Maybe his uncategorizability does account for the oversight, but maybe not. Nadler's uniqueness should be a prime selling point.

Okay, I throw my hands up and can only say that Nadler's current show, "Crazy 1961," which he reprises twice more (January 15 and 22) at Manhattan's Laurie Beechman Theatre, is yet another in his highly diverting, cagily intelligent enterprises. It may not be entirely at the level of his "Tschaikowsky (And Other Russians)" -- during which he takes the famous Danny Kaye list song of composers and spins comedy and information from it. All the same, this one's non-stop fun, too.

The premise is that, born October 14, 1961, Nadler has now turned 50 and is wondering about everything that happened of any consequence during that miraculous year. Nothing seems to escape his coverage, including the sending of a chimp into space, civil rights demonstrations, the hit parade and the details of his own arrival. The latter include mentioning that his conception came about as the result of a broken condom, or so his father later informed him. Nor does Nadler stop there with the intimate disclosures, which extend to his deliberately delayed delivery (superstitious Mom didn't want to give birth on Friday 13) and his resulting life as a gay man.

(In the age of Elton John, upfront at the 2012 Golden Globes with hubby David Furnish, don't say gayness is a career-deterrent.)

Tying songs into the 1961 topics he raises, the tall, thin, tirelessly kinetic, somewhat-George Gershwin-look-a-like Nadler kick-starts himself (and I think I mean with literal kicks) on a "Once in a Lifetime"/"Comes Once in a Lifetime" medley that stokes the fires of those who think it's manic behavior that's stalled him. He knows the criticism so well that he segues into "Hey, Jimmy, Joe, John, Jim, Jack," a forgotten song from the forgotten musical "Let It Ride," about the advisability of tooting one's own horn loudly.

He also knows it behooves him to demonstrate he can be restrained and, after a rousing "Cruella De Vil," he pulls way back to a sweet "This is Dedicated to the One I Love." Noting that 1961 is the year body-mikes came to Broadway (from whence he plucks many of his inclusions), he recalls the body-miked Anna Maria Alberghetti with "Carnival"'s 'Love Makes the World Go 'Round," which melts into Noel Coward's "Sail Away" advisory.

Before getting to a fifty 1961 hits medley followed by the most important one he's left out, "Moon River," he sings, among several well-chosen others, Gilbert Becaud's "Et Maintenant" only in French because he dislikes the English translation. He goes "Crazy," because he says he kinda is. Incidentally, the entire set has him at the piano, along with guitarist Scott Johnson, bassist Robert Sabin, drummer Barbara Merjan and Dan Willis on reeds and flute, and maybe it's fronting this hip band that'll make an improved-gigs difference for him.

David Finkle By the time Nadler finishes, he's shown he has it all -- with one exception: the nation-wide, not to say international, recognition he's worked all but the first two or three of his fifty years to attain and unquestionably deserves.

Cabaret Hotline Mark Nadler's "Crazy 1961, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre - 407 West 42nd Street, NYC – 10036 (located in the West Bank Café) For reservations call 212-695-6909 or visit www.westbankcafe.com. $25 cover/$15 f/b minimum. Performances on Sundays - January 15, 22 and 29 at 1:00. Mr. Nadler sings and plays piano, accompanied by Scott Johnson on guitar, Mark Lopeman on reeds, Robert Sabin on bass and Sherrie Marcie on drums.

I already knew that I was in for a good time at Mark Nadler's show, since I'd seen him perform a couple of songs as part of the Beechman’s Simply Barbra show earlier this year. I was prepared for his particular brand of inspired, energetic and laser focused insanity. What I

was not ready for was his genius. OK, I said it. Genius. An over-used term, perhaps, but one that fits. There are so few performers who fall into that category, whom you see and think, " This person belongs on the stage. This person was born to be there and there's absolutely nothing else they should be doing.” There is an in-the- moment, in-your-face intensity to this show that is breathtaking. OK. I’m gushing, I know.

Crazy 61 is an ingenious musical memoir that touches on the events of 1961, the year of Mr. Nadler's birth. Through the patter and the songs, we get a sense of the popular music; the Broadway hits and misses, as well as politics of the era. Nadler’s clever juxtaposition of song and history is often chilling. (Listen for “Love Makes the World Go Round” and “Sail Away” for example). There’s an abundance of humor, history and deep emotion here and Nadler keeps it moving, varied and connected. And he plays to the back row of the theater- a theater blocks away on Broadway. He knows how to amp it up and bring it down. I especially liked his version of “Dedicated to the One I Love,” a song I’ve heard so many times that I’d stopped listening to it. Nadler made it new again.

Mark Nadler is in full command of the stage and is always the captain of his ship. During the performance I saw, he pulled off a feat that others rarely can. He stopped a song not once, but twice, until it was done to his satisfaction. (Would the audience have known there was a problem? Highly doubtful.) But Nadler is a perfectionist. When I’ve seen other performers do the same thing - it leaves the audience nervous and uncomfortable - but not this time. You simply had to appreciate his control of the situation and his desire to get the song done right.

This show was like a musical in which Nadler played all the roles, each character fully explored. He doesn't just sing a group of songs but fully embodies the characters that sing those songs. He is a long drink of water, with a big voice that can be as powerful and pointed as a melodious jackhammer, and conversely, as lush and emotional as a contented purr. In addition to being a remarkable musician, who created all the tasty musical arrangements for the show, he is a terrific physical comedian. He does so many things, in fact, that I mentioned to some friends in the audience that I was fairly sure Mr. Nadler hailed from some far off planet and was sent here to educate and entertain the mere mortals of earth. And, by the way, if you’re incredulous about the possibility of fitting 61 songs into a 60+ minute show- all I can say is – please do buckle in.

by Mona Finston

Bistro Awards Boisterous pianist and singer Mark Nadler has been entertaining cabaret crowds here and abroad for quite a few years, and now he's pulling out the stops for a romp through "Crazy 1961," a celebration of his birth year in music, personal stories and historical anecdotes. History has never been so much fun, and so convincing is Nadler in his recounting of that year that you may leave thinking 1961 on a par with 1492, 1776 or 1945.

In fact, Nadler effectively conveys what a pivotal time it was: The Music Man and Gypsy closed at the same time Bob Dylan and the Beatles were giving their first public performances, hinting at a new era to come, while Judy Garland was enjoying her last great triumph at Carnegie Hall; the Bay of Pigs, the first troops sent to Vietnam, nuclear testing, and the first human to orbit Earth all portended both the dangers and possibilities of the growth of technology; and the Freedom Writers took an integrated bus trip and apartheid was condemned in South Africa during that year—the same that saw the birth of future president Barack Obama and the hundredth anniversary of the Civil War.

Nadler himself revealed that he was born on the same day that Patsy Cline recorded "Crazy" (October 14) and, known for occasionally being maniacal on stage, the irony wasn't lost on him. A further tale of his mother holding off his birth so he wouldn't be born on Friday the 13th adds additional hilarity to the tale. All of this is a master lesson in writing an act—especially the way he weaves the personal with the historical and with the musical underscoring. But what of the music itself, presumably the reason one would go to a Mark Nadler show in the first place?

Nadler offers up a representative variety of songs from 1961, adding the flair of his own creative arrangements. (As a special treat, at the performance I attended, Ervin Drake, who wrote that year's "It Was a Very Good Year," made famous by Frank Sinatra, was in the audience.) He opens the show with a mash-up of "Once in a Lifetime" (Anthony Newley, Leslie Bricusse) and "Comes Once in a Lifetime" (Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green). Nadler wastes no time giving us his trademark energy—in fact, his voice was a bit hoarse, which had me wondering how he was going to get through an hour-plus show.

Fortunately, like a trained thoroughbred, Nadler knows how to pace himself and add different colors and textures to keep things exciting until he crosses the finish line. While a song like "Cruella De Vil" (Mel Leven) fits his style like a glove, "Dedicated to the One I Love" (Lowman Pauling, Ralph Bass), slowed down to a lullaby, was a welcome surprise. It not only showed his tender side, but showed off his virtuoso piano playing—on this, he accompanied himself while the quartet behind him took a break. His musicians are virtuosos themselves, but the wall of sound often buries Nadler's own accomplishment

Nadler brilliantly delivers "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" (Bob Merrill) with a game-show smile, while interleaving the song's verses with frightening imagery of 1961 military actions, highlighting both the year's danger and promise. From there, he moves into Noël Coward's "Sail Away," with its lyric "When the storm clouds are riding through a winter sky, sail away"—but giving the song a mad, honky-tonk feel, ending with a flourish. This juxtaposition of happy songs and disturbing events pulls the listener back in time and makes him feel that, indeed, we may have been on the brink of madness that year.

Kudos to sound technician Nik Santiago, who lends an outerworldly, eerie echo to "Adrift on a Star" (Jacques Offenbach, E.Y. Harburg), used to illustrate the burgeoning space program. Nadler also brings something entirely new to the popular standard "Crazy" (Willie Nelson), turning it into a jazzy big band number. Mark Lopeman on tenor sax gives the number extra oomph. One-upping any previous stunt-singing he (or perhaps anyone else) has done before, he closes with a medley of the Top 50 (yes, fifty!) hits of the year, so as not to disappoint anyone who thinks he missed anything. He sails through this while holding up cards that keep count of all fifty. "Moon River," one of the most beautiful songs of that or any year, makes a fitting encore.

Besides Lopeman (reeds), the terrific band consists of Scott Johnson (guitar), Robert Sabin (bass), and Sherrie Maricle (drums).

With Nadler's energy and unending creativity, we can look forward to his reviving "Crazy 1961" in 2061 for his hundredth birthday. But why wait? Nadler is well worth seeing, now or any year.

By Kevin Scott Hall

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Woman around town Bottle That Brio: Mark Nadler’s Crazy 1961

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

by Alix Cohen

crazy 61 When Mark Nadler takes a stage, the word becomes possessive. His natural authority, urbane charisma and complete focus is magnetic. Voices still, heads rivet, people wake up. “…Jan 20, 1960, JFK was sworn in,” the raconteur begins, “Around that time in Waterloo, Iowa, my parents made passionate love. I know this because about 16 years later, my father told me this was the night his condom broke.” Just ONCE in a lifetime… (he launches the first song) “All of my fellow spermatozoa had one thing in mind—carpe diem!” There’s one special moment …(he continues) When fate takes your hand…(Once in a Lifetime-–Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse) The clever intro segues into an easier take on the theme, Comes Once In A Lifetime (Betty Comden/Adolph Green/Jule Styne). Like every other segue and medley, transition is seamless.

The show has barely begun. We’ve already laughed. Crazy 1961 is a celebration of the year of Nadler’s birth, not of his coming into the world, but of the 365 days he joined. Can so much of note have occurred? As it turns out, decidedly, yes. Hey, Jimmy, Joe, John, Jim, Jack (Jay Livingston/Ray Evans), from the failed musical, Let It Ride) is a winsome number made up of fables. Leave it to Nadler to unearth it. See the world through children’s eyes, the chorus recommends. His sincere performance warms the room. Musical arrangement conveys character attributes. Band members chime in with the occasional deadpan line, eliciting further giggles. It’s wry storytelling and subtle admonition: there’s a child now, be aware.

Mark Nadler Up from the piano bench (picture the bouncing Tigger), Nadler regales us with a compilation of events occurring in 1961: the transition from the golden age of Broadway to rock n’ roll, the premiere of the iconoclastic corn chip by Frito-Lay and Barbie’s introduction to Ken, among others. (The last is hysterical). There are literary, political, entertainment and pop allusions. In 1961, Jim Bakker married 19 year-old Tammy Faye LaValley. The payoff for this fact-let is Never Trust a Virgin. Not Like a Virgin (Madonna) which would’ve been an easy shot, but a composition by Jacques Offenbach/E.Y. Harburg indicative of both Nadler’s erudition and his raffish style.

Next, with a nod to Martha Stewart (also married in ’61), is Cruella de Vil. The Mel Leven song for the Disney animated feature is interpreted as burlesque. Nadler stands at the piano working his arms and fingers like Jerry Lee Lewis, pumping down hard and clean on the keys. We hear honkey -tonk slides, bumps n’ grinds, and plenty of insinuation. The band is tight and exuberant. Ms.De Vil suddenly becomes a died-in-the-wool vamp. It’s a hoot.

Because his profession takes him away from home, Nadler says, he knows what it is to go to bed far from loved ones. An original and surprising treatment of Dedicated to the One I Love (Lowman Pauling/Ralph Bass) changes the pop tune into a classic ballad. Love Makes the World Go ‘Round (Bob Merrill, from the musical, Carnival), is performed intermittently between brief exposition on the invasion of The Bay of Pigs. Not only does it work, it’s poignant. “Cut your losses and begin once more.” The evergreen, Sail Away (Noel Coward) is reinvented with the introduction of bongos in a jazzy arrangement conjuring back-up dancers. “In 1961, we did that, we sailed away…orbited…” (Ah, now the treatment makes sense.) Adrift on a Star (Offenbach/Harburg) is simply lovely. Guitar, chimes, and clarinet imbue the chestnut with freshness. Nadler imbues it with relevance. Here we are/ Adrift on a star/And what is the journey for? Lyrics are respected. This is key to Nadler’s success in reimagining material: every deviation from the expected serves the song. It’s a dictate that should be engraved on music stands: to serve the meaning and intention of the song.

What is the journey for? “Nureyev defected in 1961…we had Apartheid…Freedom Riders…the birth of our first multi-racial president…” Like Ariadne, whose spun gold thread lead Theseus to the center of the labyrinth and out again, Nadler takes us through historical events, sweet (not saccharine) anecdotes about his birth and parents (more laughter), and back. With meticulous attention, he fits himself in without touting self importance.

A personal translation of Et Maintenant (Gilbert Becaud), which is more philosophic and universal than the familiar English lyric, is followed by the song in French. New understanding gives the song a searching gravitas. Notes elongate like taffy; r’s are rolled. What now—for Nadler at fifty, for his generation, for “us?” It Was a Very Good Year (Ervin Drake) begins wistfully with cymbal brushes, is carried aloft by a muted sax, and expands to full, plummy orchestration. His voice soars.

In honor of the golden anniversary of “the enormous amount of hits from 1961,” Nadler offers a medley of his choice for the top fifty songs.“If we do just a minute for each (good grief!)…so we’re going to go fast, but I’ll keep track for you.” And he does! Whipping through a list organized like a Rommel campaign, holding up and tossing away placards with numbers from 1-50, the thespian sings a dozen different musical genres without missing a beat, a key change or a syllable. Sometimes we get a two-line tease related by theme. Other times songs tail into one another: Why can’t I fall in love/Like any other man/And maybe then I’d know… Who put the stump/ In my rump-ba-bump-ba-bump? Seemingly possessed by spirit, Nadler even performs a swivel-kneed Elvis Presley number in front of the piano. The man has the irrefutable energy of a natural geyser.

Crazy 1961 is a beautifully wrought show, at the same time personal and inclusive. Enormously entertaining, it also offers clear perspective behind narrative and choices. You may find yourself reflecting on the content afterwards. During the performance, however, there’s nothing to do but surrender to the formidable, inventive talent of Mark Nadler and have a helluva good time. My cheeks hurt from grinning. Did I mention he can really sing?

Crazy 1961
Mark Nadler, vocals, piano; arrangements; musical direction
Sherrie Maricle, drums
Dennis Joseph, reeds
Scott Johnson, guitar
John Loehrke, bass

*SAVE THE DATE: October 13, 2011 (the eve of Mark’s 50th birthday)

Crazy 1961 will be the first half of an evening benefitting Art Start, a charity for which Mark Nadler volunteers and serves on the board. The second half of the evening is yet to be determined, but will certainly include celebrity guests. Tickets are extremely inexpensive — $35.00 a seat for most of the house. Because the benefit is being underwritten, every penny of the ticket price will go to the not-for-profit. They expect to raise 50-60 thousand dollars that night; one third the annual Art Start budget!

Art Start is an extremely worthy program bringing the arts into homeless shelters. Artists volunteer their time, expertise, and guidance to nurture the creativity and talent of children and teens, helping to develop self-expression and raising self esteem through the process of making art. Learning, creating and communicating skills are fostered in a nurturing environment.

BWW Reviews' Great Talent In Adelaide: Mark Nadler, Lisa Hunt, Gillian Cosgriff

In addition to the main stage performers - those like Olivia Newton-John and Chita Rivera, for example - there are established cabaret favorites and relative newcomers playing in smaller, cabaret-like spaces.

Falling ino the former category, Mark Nadler has earned a slew of awards - the greatest of which must be the fact that he was caricatured by Al Hirschfeld - and based on his Adelaide performance of Crazy 1961, a celebration of the year he, as well as Barack Obama, was born.

The show is a breathtaking mix of music and history. JFK's inauguration, the Bay of Pigs, the first plane hijacked to Cuba, the first Freedom Riders are all touched upon. Songs include numbers from Broadway hits (Once In A Lifetime), movie music (Cruella DeVil) and popular music (Crazy).
Nadler puts his own story in the context of the songs and it is always, consistently interesting. One leaves the show wanting to see more. Nadler had played the first few days of the Festival in an open-to-all late-night venue and, judging from conversations overheard among the audience, the room was packed with people who came to this show after seeing his Broadway Hootenanny.
The show ends with a terrific medley of the 50 - yes! 50! - top hits of 1961 that is, as they say here in Oz, "heaps" of fun - and, the encore is the lovely Oscar-winner, Moon River.

Mark Nadler is an enormously talented man. It is a joy to watch him use that talent.

South Australian News

Presented by the v and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Reviewed Wednesday 15th June 2011
Venue: Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre, King William Road, Adelaide
Season: 6:30 Thursday 16th June 2011
Duration: 60 mins

If you have seen Mark Nadler’s late night Broadway Hootenanny shows in the Piano Bar then you were probably somewhere in the room last night, or already have tickets for the second show, and have no need to read this review. Adelaide has taken Nadler to its heart and his legion of fans would not dream of missing this opportunity to see more of him.

Mark Nadler was both conceived and born in 1961 and, in his 50th year, this performance is all about that momentous date. This, unlike his late shows where anything and everything might happen, is a carefully crafted, structured and scripted show, the sort of thing that he actually prefers to do. He looks back at that year, not only singing many of the songs, but also referring to many of the events that occurred. If all history lessons were this much fun, absenteeism in schools would be a thing of the past.

It was, incidentally, when John F. Kennedy was sworn in as president and another president, Barrack Obama, was born. Across the Atlantic a future princess, Lady Diana, was also born. It was the year that Crazy, the song in the show’s title, was first heard. Music was changing. The predominance of American rock ‘n’ roll, with artists like Elvis and Ray Charles, was about to be challenged by the British, with The Beatles making their first public appearance.

Mark Nadler With consummate ease, Nadler weaves together all of these diverse elements with his own story and that of his parents, delivering facts and figures, singing the songs and injecting loads of humour. He has a medley of the top fifty hits of 1961 that he rattles off in only a few minutes, helping the audience to keep count as he does so. You must go, if just to hear that one.

He is ably assisted by a great four piece band, with drums, guitar, reeds and bass adding to his own astounding piano playing. Over the years, a few local musicians have become synonymous with the Festival, in demand by all of the visiting performers. First there was the Adelaide Art Orchestra, then that superb accompanist, Matthew Carey and, the latest on that list, the incredible bassist, Alana Dawes who, was part of this band.

You have one more chance to see this terrific performance tonight, if there are any tickets left. With Nadler’s popularity he should, perhaps, have had a few more shows added. Hurry to see Mr. Cabaret while you can.

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Arts Editor, Glam Adelaide.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2011: Mark Nadler ‘Crazy 1961?

It’s true, 1961 was a very good year for popular cabaret performer Mark Nadler — after all, it was the year he was born in the small American town of Waterloo, Iowa… And, 50 years later, he’s back for an unprecedented fourth time at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2011 celebrating all the hit songs and political events that happened as he made his debut into the world. On stage, Nadler recounts how he was supposed to be a Friday the 13th baby but his mother was a superstitious soul and, even after her waters broke, crossed her legs at 11.30pm and refused to push her baby out until midnight. This enforced extra time inside his mother’s body had a profound effect on the young boy as he tongue-in-cheek attributed this to a profound lack of desire to ever return to that part of a female’s anatomy (alluding to a preference to ‘tails and balls’). Not a closet queen but somehow reminiscent of fellow American entertainer Liberace at the piano, even though Nadler’s attire was drab by contrast (a grey suit, shirt and tie). From the cheers and applause that greeted Mark Nadler as he entered the cabaret salle for his ‘Crazy 1961? musical reminiscences it was clear the artist had garnered a prolific following in Adelaide, not least from his popular and memorable stints at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Piano Bar. Nadler’s one-hour structured offering passed in a flash with wry jokes, excellent music arrangements (except for that of Gilbert Becaud’s Et Maintenant, which somehow failed to please this French purist, but I was alone in this respect as everyone else present seemed to love it) and boundless flamboyant energy. No tap dancing this time but plenty of sleek and vintage moves. The names of historical greats such as John F Kennedy and Fidel Castro mingle with those of Yuri Gagarin, Rudolf Nureyev and the Beatles as having made an impact on that golden year for vastly differing reasons. That particular period was also perceived as a memorable cusp of musical change from crooning and Broadway theatre to the birth of the international love affair with rock n roll. Nadler’s Banquet Room show culminated with a rousing rendition and countdown of snippets of no-less-than 50 oldies but goodies from 1961. And, after a standing ovation from his enthusiastic audience, the artist concluded with an emotive encore of Moon River and a whole lot of love flowing from the stage and back again!
By Felicity Rai - June 20th, 2011

CABARET FESTIVAL: Mark Nadler - Crazy 1961

THE irrepressible smile is the same but the costume has changed; gone are the tails and spats, replace by a grey lounge suit and long narrow tie. This is controlled-crazy Mark Nadler the planned professional performer, not the zany hootenanny improv of the after-cabaret Piano Bar.
In a show celebrating the wonderful year of 1961, redolent with its pivotal points, Nadler intertwines chosen tunes with a mini-history lesson encompassing the end of Apartheid, the start of the Berlin Wall, the manned orbiting of Earth, and Kennedy urging Americans to build fall-out shelters.
His banter is down pat for this world premiere. His exuberance on piano overcomes the stretching of his vocals at the top end, while backing players on double bass, guitar, drums and wind provide range. The music and his words have heads nodding in the capacity crowd and draw rich applause.
Entertainment is in his gaze – the theatre of the time, like West Side Story; cinema releases such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and TV shows like Mr Ed (a horse is a horse of course).
Even ballet great Rudolf Nureyev’s defection is cause for melodic reminiscence. In Paris at the time, “Et Maintenant” played, and its roughly translated refrain was: “So, what will I do now with the rest of my life?”
A cleverly constructed medley of the top 50 hits (US not Australian) climaxes the show, drifting us out on the tide of “Moon River”. If you were born in 1961 – like President Obama, Princess Di, Mark Nadler or me – or you can remember the year, then don’t miss this!

KATE DELLER-EVANS

The Advertiser
Samela Harris - June 20, 2011

WE can't get enough of Mark Nadler. He's the good spirit of the Cabaret Festival, a bottomless well of wit and talent.
He's become an institution in the piano bar. But also he can fill the Playhouse or pack out the Banquet Room with a structured show.
Crazy is based on the year of Nadler's birth - and 1961 turns out to be special in many ways, being, as Nadler points out, on the cusp between the golden era of musical theatre and rock and roll. Nadler had done lots of homework and the show is meaty as well as lots of fun - and his songs sometimes are quite profound, spurring moments of serious reflections that only a performer of Nadler's quality and charisma could dare to elicit from an audience.
He sings the morality tale of The World Through Children's Eyes, a thumping version of Cruella De Vil, a heart-rending When I'm Away From You, a furious Ordinary People, Crazy and, to top off the show, a sizzling segue of 1961's top hits - 50 of them.

Bedazzlingly brilliant. From the personal to the political, from the delicate to the passionate, he holds his audience rapt. Accompanied by a fine band, Nadler's performance is taut, almost athletic with his vocal energy and powerful virtuoso keyboarding.