Life of the Party
‘New York Minutes’ revue will put you in a festive mood
by Jonathan Warman
You’ll often hear people complain that they miss New York, even though they live here. They miss the fun of certain nightclubs, whether they mean the flashy discos of the ’70s and ’80s or the sophisticated cabarets of an even earlier era. A lot of these people seem to forget that many of the more legendary moments of New York nightlife—in any era—took place at small gatherings of a circle of friends, that throwing the kind of party you’d like to be invited to is often all it takes to get the ball rolling.
"New York Minutes"—a revue of the songs of gay New York sophisticate John Wallowitch—makes it clear that Wallowitch has never lost sight of that side of the city. His songs evoke swank, and tres gay, private parties where wit and warmth flow as freely as the strong martinis everybody seems to be clutching. Director Mark Finley has zeroed in on the twin qualities of elegance and compassion that has made Wallowitch an icon in the cabaret world.
Chris Weikel and Robert Locke have sung many of these songs before, and their interpretations have acquired more depth; in Weikel’s case, they’re often enjoyably looser and sillier. Both men are also very fine singers, as is TOSOS II newcomer Jolie Meshbesher—all three use both pop and jazz stylings to highly expressive effect.
The gay subject matter—something of a prerequisite for a show presented by TOSOS II, the mother of all gay theater companies—is often right there on the surface. "Dutch Ecology," sung by Meshbesher with a puckishness befitting its gleeful innuendos, features lyrics that apply equally well to dikes and dykes. "Frog and Toad" tells of same-sex domestic bliss only hinted at by the children’s books (and Broadway musical!) of the same name. Where the gay content isn’t explicit, sly glances between our New York trio tell the fuller story.
If nightlife movements can be started by tiny cabals of like-minded people, it isn’t too much of a stretch to imagine that Finley and company have exactly that kind of thing in mind. Speaking for myself, "New York Minutes" sure inspired me to go out and throw the smartest, most fun and chic party I could dream up. - The New York Blade, Apr. 10, 2006