Liberace - Live From Las Vegas

Published Friday 1 June 2007 at 17:05 by Robin Duke

When Bobby Crush capped his six New Faces wins in 1972 with the Variety Club of Great Britain’s Best New Artist award, legendary American pianist Liberace was making a record breaking third Royal Command Performance appearance.

Today the two talents have combined in a show which has the potential to run for as long as the ever smiling pianist is happy to merge his own personality under the mock mink and reproduction jewellery which help re-create the flamboyance of one of entertainment’s most memorable showmen.

With 35 years in the public eye, it can’t be easy to stay in character but Crush manages to mimic the maestro in fine style.

Since its first foray last year, this has grown from being a show of two halves (the first Crush as himself, the second as Liberace) into a recreation of a full Las Vegas cabaret night. To that end there’s now a three piece band, five dancer/support singers and Alan Becks performing a Dean Martin tribute.

It takes Crush no time at all to replicate Liberace’s ground breaking campness - frequently changing over the top costumes and cherrypicking a back catalogue for a greatest hits selection of melodies and memories played and performed to perfection.

It takes Becks a little longer to settle into his role, but by the time he tackles Deano’s bigger hits, he fits well into the show’s theme. Samara Stanton is also a standout - both for her singing and dancing.

With not too much tweaking the show should be well on its way to feeling like the full productions once de rigueur on this pier.