"An odd but enjoyable solo show, starring the stage veteran Len Cariou, that juxtaposes monologues and sonnets with songs from musicals...Mr. Cariou’s singing voice has naturally lost some — well, frankly, much — of its power and agility since his heyday...Mr. Cariou’s delivery of his Shakespearean set pieces is exemplary, across a broad range of emotional territory."
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"What more could the 76-year-old legend want? The answer’s there in 'Broadway and the Bard’s' second number: 'Applause.' Once an ovation addict, always an ovation addict. Trouble is, Cariou may be getting more out of us than we him...While the narration between sections is crusty and halting, Cariou’s sonorous recitation of Shakespeare finds music in the verse. His singing, however, is not what it once was...Cariou’s vocal delivery is sadly underpowered."
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"The show is warm and delightful. At age 76, the actor's sharp and stinging presence has mellowed a bit and his singing voice has lost a bit of its range, but his aged wisdom and craft as an actor remains of a high caliber. Len Cariou certainly has more tales worth attending up his talented sleeve."
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"The years vanished as the actor once again invested Lerner's words with a devastating sense of loss and yearning....If the rest of 'Broadway and the Bard' were of this quality, I'd be busy rustling up superlatives, but much of the time this is one of the season's odder entertainments...Cariou's voice is seriously diminished and he spends much of the evening pushing it to places it has no business going...'Broadway and the Bard' certainly has its pleasures, but not nearly as many as I had hoped for."
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"Even in the best of moments, little of this seems necessary or insightful. You won't learn much about Cariou or Shakespeare…And though Cariou remains a powerful and creative actor, his singing voice is far from its earlier glory...This presents no such liability on the monologues, which are brimming with musicality, variety, and excitement...Even so, Cariou is so gifted and so likable that you're willing to forgive him and the show a lot."
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"A charmingly diverting if light-weight evening of thematic pairings of monologues with songs from among Broadway’s masters…While Len Cariou seems to have missed his opportunity for a deep analysis of the Shakespeare that he has included, his aim seems to have been to give a memoir in story and song. Under the direction of Barry Kleinbort, his breezy, nonchalant manner is quite infectious and he makes the 80 minutes pass as in a moment."
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"It is a delicious confection of Shakespeare and Broadway songs...Cariou gets an A for straddling 'Broadway and the Bard' and discovering the common romantic ground between them...At its best moments, it's a dynamic pas de deux. But not all of Shakespeare's verse can be shoehorned that easily into the iconic songs...Cariou's voice is not as mellifluous as it was in years past, and he did need a line, or two...However, Cariou more than makes up for this by his sheer charisma."
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"It should be noted that this work, a memoir really, puts greater demands on the vocal cords than Verdi or Wagner. Len Cariou is onstage without respite for 80 minutes. The narration is a joy and all the Shakespeare is splendidly performed. But the songs are problematic. Where they’re pianissimo they are sung superbly. But full-throated offerings that are forte are less effective. There’s a marked tremolo. That noted, the show is fun and there’s no better way to spend 80 minutes."
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