One big pot of gold

It’s December 1968, and in a luxurious hotel suite, Judy Garland is staging her comeback tour at the London Hippodrome, which has been converted into the premiere nightclub and cabaret, “The Talk Of The Town”. It is with Mickey Deans, her fifth fiancé, and Anthony, her aptly devout pianist, as they set out down a road paved not with yellow brick, but with the good intention to reclaim Garland’s crown as the greatest talent of her generation.

You can’t help but be swept up by this deeply moving piece of musical stage-craft, as the life-long tornado of drugs and alcohol take their toll on Garland, those that she loved, and those that loved her.

It’s Tari Kelly’s intoxicating interpretation of Judy Garland that pulls us scene by scene towards what we fear will be an ignominious show-stopping performance. And every gay man can live vicariously through Jonas Cohen’s gentle and chivalrous portrayal of Anthony – a poignant performance reminding us that without the bad, there would be no good; that without the sorrow, there would be no joy.

Hats off to Artistic Director, Rod Lansberry for courageously bringing this show to the Arvada Center stage and for his direction of such an amazingly talented group of actors, crew and musicians.