By Andrew Poretz***Songwriting and cabaret duo Jennie Litt and David Alpher have been married for nearly a quarter of a century. Litt has had a variety of careers over the years, most of which she listed in a monologue. The couple’s charming family act, Relatively Speaking/Singing at Don’t Tell Mama now includes their teen daughter, Mirabelle Alpher, who just sta
rted her senior year in high school. David Alpher, at the piano, provided the sole accompaniment for the show.
Described as a “love letter from mother to daughter, and a retrospective of Jennie and Mirabelle’s relationship from womb to Zoom,” opened with mother and daughter singing a medley of “Your Smiling Face” (James Taylor) and “Isn’t She Lovely” (Stevie Wonder). The pair switched between harmony and counterpoint, sometimes singing in unison, which was lovely and wholesome. Songs written by Litt and Alpher (there were only two originals in the set) fared quite well. “Hello in There,” written from the perspective of a pregnant mother to her unborn child, was sweet and poignant. The original was pared with “Ragtime Lullaby” as a two-part piece, with a counterpoint duet. The couple’s other original, “A Prime Little Number,” had clever, punny lyrics that played on math concepts.
The bulk of the set included songs by Bachrach and David, Meg Keene, Cat Stevens, Steven Sondheim and others. Mirabelle’s delightful take on “My Party Dress” (Bree Lowdermilk, Kait Kerrigan), the first cabaret song she ever performed when she first started out, was to sing it as if she were 12. Mirabelle is pretty and vivacious, with a funny and engaging stage presence.A particular highlight was “The Apple Doesn’t Fall Very Far From the Tree” (John Kander, Fred Ebb). In this adorable and poignant number, mother and daughter at first compare their differences before discovering the many things they have in common, which they sang in unison: an effective choice. Similarly, in “Listen Here” (Dave Frishberg), the affection and love between mother and daughter was palpable and quite wonderful. “For Good” (Stephen Schwartz) was the best number of the night, with Litt and her daughter coming in close for a lovely duet.
The show was engaging, and the content and patter all helped convey the story of the family, particularly that of mother and daughter. David Alpher’s capable piano playing provided solid support for the two, who are expressive in their delivery. However, their were issues with intonation by both, and Mirabelle tends to sing slightly sharp. Working on these snags and tightening up the show would add much more to it.
Photos by Andrew Poretz
