As they tell us in their opening number, this is a show where “two legends are together forever.”
Steven Brinberg brings us a quietly confident, laid-back Barbra Streisand, whereas Rick Skye is a feisty Liza Minnelli – all staccato hand gestures and with a sky-full of twinkles in her eyes.
Much of their show – Barbra and Liza Live – is made up of solos peppered with anecdotes, but they come into their best when duetting – voices perfectly matched with Barbra on top, hitting the high notes with purity and delight, and Liza raunchier underneath.
There’s a fantastic chemistry between Rick and Steven, born of many years working together, but the show has a freshly minted flavour to it – they’re doing it just for us, you feel from the get go.
Starting Now gives Rick the chance to belt the lyrics at us, and The Way We Were from Steven is just pitch perfect – close your eyes, and it’s Barbra singing to you, gentle, high and emotion very much under control.
And again in With One Look we get a perfect Streisand impersonation, as is Don’t Rain On My Parade, where the switches in pitch and tempo are carried off brilliantly.
Rick gives us the power and glory of Liza in Yes and dry, wicked humour in Betty Ford, a joyous therapy song: “when you’re overwrought, it’s the best resort.”
And in Maybe This Time, we get the Liza we remember, followed by a sharp bitter and witty parody Ring Them Single Ladies.
I saw Steven at Ironworks Brighton and his showstopper from then is still just a breathtaking display of mimicry. In I’m Still Here, we get in quick succession: Cleo Laine, Ethel Merman, Lena Horne, Cher, Maggie Smith, Bernadette Peters, Bea Arthur, Billie Holliday, Bette Davies, Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and – well I lost count after that – just stunning quick-fire impersonation at its best.
Send In The Clowns gives us bitter fragility and we end Act One with a little heard medley from the film Valley Of The Dolls which both Liza and Barbra were meant to be in along with Judy Garland.
Rick’s comic talent lurks beneath the surface of most of Liza’s repertoire but springs out at us in Stepping Out and Losing My Mind. It’s a gentle and mild parody done with love.
And on it goes – an unusual Feed The Birds, a laid-back Evergreen with pure delightful top notes, and a slightly bitter/sad I Wish You Love.
There’s another copy de theatre when Steven sings alternate lines and sometimes words as Barbra and Tony Newley in Who Can I Turn To, and then it’s guest spot with Chuck Sweeney as a delightfully naughty Peggy Lee, giving us a frenzied rendition of Fever.
And of course we can’t leave without Cabaret, and there’s a luscious dessert to follow with a duet of Old Friends, Get Happy and Happy Days Are Here Again.
Nathan Martin is a brilliant piano accompanist, supporting and highlighting the vocals with the deftest keyboard playing you’ll hear this side of the Atlantic.
Just a fabulous, fabulous night – if you’re in London get down to the Charing Cross Theatre and see the show – it’s a theatrical highlight of 2024 for me and five big stars for it.
The show runs until 17 November- tickets HERE