By Scott Barbarino****I was lucky enough last Sunday night, to get the last seat left in the house to see Bob Diamond‘s show, The Game of Life. Cleverly and seamlessly constructed, using the Milton Bradley board game’s concept of creating a life with the cards it’s dealt you, plus his favorite songs from The Great American Songbook, the show was a romp through and celebration of the life he’s led and continues to play, with an incredible sense of humor and timing. In this show, one get’s a chance to know Bob well enough to imagine how much fun it would have been to join him on the monkey-bars or seesaws that life truly is.
With direction by Gretchen Reinhagen, the playfulness they have is evident in their successful collaboration, made even more palpable by Bob’s playful barbs and quips directed at her from stage. There was joy evident and they must have had a blast putting this show together. Musical Director Matthew Martin Ward’s artistry with the keys was perfectly placed and rounded out in this performance by Tom Hubbard on bass.
Particular highlights were his sense of comedic timing questioning, “Why Him?” (Alan Jay Lerner/Burton Lane) and the homage he pays to songwriters and performers who have worked within the cabaret community, especially the legendary John Wallowitch, whose tunes are sprinkled throughout the show including “Come A Little Closer,” “Frog and Toad,” “Summer Was” (mashed up, as the kids say, with Michele Brourman’s “My Favorite Year”) and his encore of “Come A Little Closer” and “Nothing Ends,” from John’s CD A Miracle on 71st Street. Also included in the set was the familiar and brilliant “The Lady Down The Hall” by Annie Dinerman, whom I saw perform it many times in the piano bar scene back in the day, with some very special Rick Jensen 
arrangements. While there are several definitive versions of “Guess Who I Saw Today?” (Murray Grand/Elisse Boyd) two being by Nancy Wilson and Marilyn Maye, and though it risks imitation, Bob’s tackling of this gem felt so natural; and while he was vocally spot on all the way through the show, he really sold this one, with an “I’ve been there” tone.
Did I mention that Bob Diamond is an octogenarian? From the energy he had on stage, all that means is he’s lived a good, long, fun-filled life, and although it’s had its ups and downs, you get the sense there’s little of it that he would have changed as he keeps on going. As we all know, “it’s a long, long time, from May to December,” Bob Diamond’s show and his exuberance, reminds us that December is still a month full of holidays.
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