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Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today

 (Allen Room, Rose Hall; 483 capacity; $95 top)

By STEVEN SUSKIN

Alan Cumming adds a sly brand of humor and banter to singing and piano playing at Lincoln Center.

Presented by Lincoln Center's American Songbook. Reviewed Feb. 7, 2009.
 
Band: Lance Horne, Michael Croiter, Dan Willis, David Finch, Yair Evnine, Jordan Jancz.
 

American actor-singer Alan Cumming made his concert hall debut Saturday night with two performances at Lincoln Center. The Scotland-born thesp used the opportunity to salute his new country -- he attained citizenship in November -- and handily charmed the enthusiastic crowd with songs and banter.

Cumming bounded onto the podium in typical bad-boy manner, in black suit, black shirt and black tie; he even had eight or so black strands of hair raffishly strung down to his eyebrows. (The band was all in black as well.) He introduced himself with a brisk rendition of Cyndi Lauper's "Shine," after which he immediately disarmed the audience by relating how after 10 years of visiting our shores he recently became a citizen of "the United States of Obamica." (Title of show -- "I Bought a Blue Car Today" -- is from his immigration test.) He noted the various cultural differences -- "people sometimes don't understand your jokes, especially reporters" -- but professed allegiance to this land where, unlike in London, you are celebrated for your differences.

Cumming meticulously credited each songwriter throughout the 70-minute set. He moved to the piano for "Thinking of You," a very funny insult-ballad from Victoria Wood; entertained the crowd with Dory Previn's "I Dance and Dance and Smile and Smile" and the Abba/Tim Rice "Where I Want to Be," from "Chess"; and then gave us a staggeringly good "Wig in a Box" from "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." All of which was topped by a chilling and understandably expert "Mein Herr," from "Cabaret." Then he swiftly changed pace for William Finn's "What More Can I Say?" from "Falsettos." (This last song was suggested, we are told, by Dr. Cohen, Cumming's dentist in Chelsea.)

Throughout, Cumming commands the space with elfin charm and a friendly sly brand of humor. The patter is peopled by the likes of Lauper, Lauren Bacall, John Cameron Mitchell, Ann Miller and Walter Cronkite. When mention of Cumming's recent Roundabout production of "The Threepenny Opera" received a small smattering of applause, he said: "If clapping means you liked it, all the people who enjoyed that show must be in this room." Six-piece band is led by musical director Lance Horne and drummer Michael Croiter, who shared the orchestration chores. Cumming refers frequently to Horne -- we are told the pair share an ex-lover who has united them in their enmity --and sings one of Horne's own songs, the powerful "Don't Tell Me."

Set ended with Charles Aznavour's "She" (performed as "He"); a lounge-version of "That's Life," the 1966 Frank Sinatra hit; and Cole Porter's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" -- an eclectic mixture that summed up Cumming's refreshing evening in variegated styles.