THEATRE REVIEW: Judy And Liza - The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Is there anything better than staying in on these cold autumn nights? Absolutely! Live music! Snuggling into the seat of a cosy theatre, nostalgically watching your music icons come alive and hearing their classic songs played out once again. Bliss.

This reviewer jumped at the chance to see this show, after excitely anticipating its return to the north west on its latest tour. Judy & Liza does what it sayd on the poster and more... it celebrates and tell the story of the mother-daughter duo, their successes, their iconic roles on stage and the silver screen, and their many failed marriages - 4 each.

The only things to let this show down are the unironed heavily creased tarpaulin used as a backdrop, the small screen (that the ladies themselves certainly would't have been used to) and the sound being piped only from the stage rather than the auditorium (I won't mention the lack of band, as I appreciate the limited space and budget). This tour seems to be playing smaller venues and I can see the appeal of more intimate settings but I also think this would work in grand theatres too.

Nonetheless, the lalents on offer are excellent and well-versed. With Helen Sheals playing the legendary Judy Garland (changed from Francis Gumm, which she used whilst performing with her sisters from a very young age). Sheals's embodiment of the role comes evidently from her portrayal of 'CBS Judy' in the musical Judy! which was presented on London Fringe before taking up a run at Arts Centre there in 2017. Her characterisation is almost natural, with such dymanics. We see Judy as a performer with a zest for building rapport wth her audience and putting on a good damn show and Sgeals recognises this and does the same (albeit with a smaller audience). Her rendition of 'Over The Rainbow' (albeit without the 'when all the world is a hopeless jumble....' preamble which would have been nice to include) by a broken down and beaten Judy at breaking point is a memory to behold. Brava!

Her on-stage daughter Liza is played by an equally talented performer in Emma Dears. The Liverpool-born actress has had much success in musicals, as well as, most recently in Emmerdale and Channel 4's It's A Sin. It is thereforme great to see her, and the show, returning to her roots for this leg of the show's 10th Anniversary (celebrated in 2021), backed by Bill Elms. Her representation of Liza as a youthful, enthusiastic showman is brilliant - I have had the pleasure to see Liza perform live.

The show begins with a projection of the good old days and the ladies' show at The London Palladium, which bits of this show are taken from. We start with a bang with the upbeat 'Wherever We Go' (known from the musical 'Gypsy') which affirmed the closeness of the chemistry the mother and daughter shared, before 'Born In A Trunk'; which encapsulates Judy's beginnings in the insutry; her father a theatre owner, and her mother extremely pushy. The presence of a trunk and photo album bring the feeling of nostalgia to another level and help to guide the story along, especially with the anecdotes of goings-on behind the scenes and in the production of 'The Wizard Of Oz'.

We then hear a heart-felt 'Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart' which we hear Judy sang on the radio for her bed-ridden father the night before he died. Before the memorable duet of 'Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again' that we know so well from the duo's performances together. Then came 'You Made Me Love You', sung to a photo of fellow MGM cast member Clark Gable to mark Judy's contract with the film studios.

Talk of their various husbands, we then hear 'One Little Word...Married' from Cabaret (which I hadn't known before I researched), before the joyful 'Trolley Song' from Meet Me In St Louis (on which Judy worked under her husband-to-be Sid Luft, after being theatened with suspension from the studios).

To end the first half we are treated to the Gershwin-penned 'Liza', before the lady herself explains the spelling and pronunciation of  'Liza With A Z'.

When we return, we note the brief absence of Judy, who makes her entrance from the audience for a rendition of 'Hello Dolly', whilst Liza reminds us of her leading role in 'Stepping Out'. She then regales us of her father's ability to see the possibility and her seeing the reality of situations in 'Seeing Things' (another that I hadn't heard before).

Judy's role from 'A Star Is Born' came through 'The One That Got Away', which sadly didn't earn her an Oscar. Liza did however, for her role in Cabaret, from which we hear 'Maybe This Time' and the title song, complete with sequined hot pants, suspenders and bowler hat. She then gave us 'Sorry I Asked' when discussing her own marriages, before we reach the realisation that we have lost the iconic Judy through what she believed to be accidental death. We hear 'Smile'. They then return together for an encore of 'Two Lost Souls' (with an intorduction of 'Let Me Entertain You' from Gypsy) which also features recreation of orignial footage of them applying make-up, with the up-stood trunk holding a mirror, and outfits matching the sketch of  'We're A Couple Of Swells'.

With the dilemma of which song to end with being resolved by a mashup of 'Over The Rainbow' and 'Maybe This Time' from the respective leading ladies, you can't not feel a sense of enjoyment and pleasure that we had and have these ladies entertaning us with the songs from yesteryear. It's no surpise, therefore,.that they received a well-earned standing ovation.

Thank you for keeping these spirits, songs and legacies alive. 

Please get to see this show when it travels around from March next year - judyandliza.co.uk

Reviewer - John Kristof
on - 19.11.22