Here and Now: The Songs of Noël Coward

This was the first time I’d returned to The Butterfly Club, one of Melbourne’s most popular cabaret venues, since it moved into the city, and I can report it is just as pokey and alternative as ever. One wouldn’t want it any other way.

Robert Green is a Noël Coward tragic and this show has been carefully put together with a small selection of some of Coward’s best songs. “The Stately Homes of England” was a recurring theme and Mr Green appeared to have added some extra verses of his own with contemporary updates.

Accompanist Alexander Sussman was excellent. Robert would not have been easy to follow.

“I went to a Marvelous Party” was completely rewritten to include many of the current politicians who have been filling the newspapers in the last year. Very funny stuff, though the lyrics came so fast it was difficult to remember them afterwards.

Robert’s diction was excellent and though his pitch was a bit wayward it was Noël Coward who won the day. There are not that many opportunities these days to be reminded of his brilliance.

Graham Ford.

Image by Sarah Walker Photography.