Lucy
Komisar
Rosemary Loar at the Metropolitan Room: great voice, too many sexist selections
Rosesmary Loar
in "Sting*chronicity"
Rosemary Loar is a major cabaret singer, throaty, breathy, with drama in her strong torch-song voice. In a white lace tunic over a short purples dress, black tights and boots, she is edgy. Some of the stories she tells are dark, and she makes them come alive. Her cabaret is almost theater. I loved her jazzy New Orleans skat sound. She can be provocative. In "Danielle," she pulls the tension out of "what didn't kill me made me tougher." Loar has been an important part of the cabaret scene for several decades. So you have to respect her choices. However, I found that most of the selections from this show, "Sting*chronicity"— songs by Sting — were crude and tacky. And often silly. And sexist. And I saw this on International Women's Day! When she segued into a Brooklyn accent or when in "Debbie," she sang about getting a new tattoo, I thought, this is cabaret as TV sitcom for the bridge and tunnel crowd. Loar of course is a major talent. But why did she sing these dreadful songs? I'm waiting for the next show with lyrics she deserves.
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