Right off the bat you know that Matt Sigl's foray into the cabaret world, "Unstuck In Time," is going to be lots of fun when his homemade program announces "David Merrick presents..."
Thru campy repartee the young vocalist laments that he was born at the wrong place-wrong time, several decades too late, missing out on the likes of Dick Van Dyke, Charles Nelson Reilly and Robert Morse, whose charm he often evokes. Interspersed between the witty banter, Paul Lynde impressions and intentionally cheesy jokes ("The last one night stand I had was an on-sale item at Pottery Barn") Sigl pays homage to the songs of yesteryear with rowdy numbers like "I Love a Piano" and "Everything Old Is New Again." Channeling Al Jolson he gets "Swannee River" down pat with his boisterous "Mammies" and vaudevillian style.
He has a tendency to keep his songs bouncy and while that keeps things rolling, it doesn't work 100% of the time. Occasionally he tackles a ballad, like Sondheim's "Losing My Mind," and despite his youth there is a definite mature voice hidden underneath, a strength that with a little coaxing can be brought out. I only wish he allowed for the poignancy of a love song to come through, which is hindered by the fact that he races through them or attempts to cut them with humor. True, he knows how to deliver dry, wry sarcasm, but he doesn't need to turn it on all the time. Instead, he should play these songs out for all their beauty and leave the jokes for the sidelines.
Still, what he lacks in polish he makes up for in charisma. He has a boyish innocence that he milks for all it's worth, while his strong presence and infectious enthusiasm easily wins you over. His droll, nostalgic observations will be appreciated by musical aficionados and will bring a tear of joy to your eye. By the end of the night you've been magically swept up into his fourth grade musical auditions, his dead-on Woody Allen parody ("My Heart Belongs to Daddy") and his genuine love and respect for good old-fashioned ditties like "A Pretty Girl" or "Stairway to Paradise." His guest, Kate Pazakis ("Rachel Ray with cleavage") has some lovely pipes as well, and the two of them did a rendition of "Happy Days Are Here Again/Come On Get Happy" that was so full of gusto, you knew that somewhere Judy was smiling down.
Sigl shines best when he is goofy and lovable, like his idol Robert Morse, whom he honors with a rendition of "I Believe in You." Matt Sigl, we may just believe it you, too.
Matt Sigl: Unstuck In Time. Next at Don't Tell Mama's, 343 West 46th Street on Friday, February 17, 2006, 7:00 PM.
