Anne Reid appears once more at The Crazy Coqs in a new solo show I Love To Sing. Wonderful anecdotes. Read my review here:

Anne Reid

This is the first show from Anne Reid that I have seen since seeing one of her very early attempts at cabaret about 2 years ago.

Since that time Reid has been having the time of the life, apparently, appearing Desert Island Discs, Who Do You Think You Are, receiving a MBE, and being bestowed the grand accolade of Pin-Up of the Year for The Oldie magazine. And, she has done a lot more cabaret.

The difference is very noticeable. Her ability to hold an audience shone from the start (see my review), but now there is a calm assuredness and relaxed demeanour that is a delight to see.

Tonight’s programme features an eclectic mix of songs, often surprising with no discernible theme, except perhaps many of them are songs she has loved for a long time and wanted to sing.

This new project provides the first opportunity for her to work with celebrated Musical Director and accompanist Jason Carr, who furnished her appropriately with a clever arrangement of Wanna Sing a Show Tune (Michael Feinstein), provided additional vocals and performed with her one of the standout items of the evening How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You, an amusing comment on the dynamics of the often delicate relationship between Musical Director and singer.

As well as a lovely rendition of one of Reid’s signature songs Errol Flynn (Amanda McBroom), there were comic numbers such as What Do We Do? We Fly!, about the difficulties of air transport, a medley of Rogers and Hart songs and some more wistful numbers looking back on her life, such as the spoken-sung Memories.

Reid’s singing, whilst not performed with a particularly strong voice or vocal technique, is clear with excellent diction enabling the story –line to flow, but the real strength of this show is the well-constructed, witty and intriguing links between the singing.

Her fascinating stories, such as being ferried about the world by young pilots when she was a young girl of 12, working with actor Daniel Craig, being bombed out of her home in the war and the capers of her fearless mother are both self-deprecating and funny and lead effortlessly into the songs, such as Once Upon A Time.

The show concluded with the charming title song I Love To Sing, and all in all, this is a nostalgic look at her life and career with highly engaging anecdotes and warm audience rapport.

Fiona-Jane Weston