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Dionne puts on the magic
REVIEW: DIONNE WARWICK
Shaw Theatre
WHO is Dionne Warwick? Unbelievably to those of us on the wrong side of 40, there is a whole generation of people who have never heard of her.
She comes on stage in a jumper and trousers looking like she’s about to go shopping in Asda. Her musicians are dressed in the same relaxed way.
For the next two hours this lady, who one could class as a legend, will go through her life story singing the songs that have made her famous to an audience mostly made up of those who know all the words.
However even after a half-hour question and answer session at the end, the issue of who Dionne Warwick really is remains.
She elegantly sidesteps her personal responses to having her hits hijacked by a series of British stars, tells us very little about her childhood, her brothers and sisters, even her parents.
In the second half with her band in tuxedos and Dionne (pictured left) in a glittery diaphanous tunic with flowing trousers, the story continues as she moves from the seminal collaborations with Burt Bacharach and Hal David to Barry Manilow and the Bee Gees.
She struggles with some high notes but the revelation of her soul only occurs when she is singing, the only point at which she is disarmed and magical.
Her story is otherwise rather bland listening and, for me, she lacks that cabaret presence which could make this a show – coming across as a very nice, but rather prickly lady.
A cracking night for a good singalong if you’re a fan, though.
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