The Mayfair Songbook

The trio deliver exactly what is expected, a cabaret centered on their specific location and crowd, sprinkled with humour and obscure references to the area. Bookending the show with the popular “A Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square”, the singers evince a palpable enjoyment of working with each other. The trio genuinely love what they’re doing and who they are doing it with. Should some of this be attributed to Hal and Lara’s sibling connection? Perhaps.

Lumley (performing while pregnant, mind you) contributed one of the more memorable numbers of the night, with Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler’s “Bald”, about tendencies to date men without either natural hair or toupees. This came only minutes after Lara serenaded the room with a fantastic display of vocal range and strength during another piece by Heisler and Goldrich. “Taylor”, which tells the funny tale of love found at a Starbucks counter with a latte boy.

Hal Cazalet seemed to embrace his role as the lone male voice in the production, filling the room with chuckles throughout Ivor Novello and Dion Titheradage’s “And Her Mother Came Too!”, referring to a desire to spend time alone with a significant other only to discover that the mother-in-law will not allow it. The charismatic Cazalet’s voice is both distinct and softly smooth, a great compliment to the higher tones provided by his two female co-stars.

The number of the night, however, was an amended version of the classic “Anything Goes”. The new adaptation included lyrics by Hal, with smart jabs being taken at Tiger Woods, John Terry, and other mainstreamers whose extra-marital endeavors have made media waves lately.

Overall, the show was exactly what the well-heeled people of Mayfair were most probably looking for. A nice, classy dinner/cabaret, fittingly staged a stone’s throw from Berkeley Square.

– Alex Mangini