Songs My Mother Taught Me

Published Friday 9 July 2004 at 11:25 by Victoria Chow

A standing ovation was the well-earned result of Lorna Luft’s two hour tribute to her mother Judy Garland’s musical legacy. However, the audience does not come away talking about the talent of Garland but rather about the astounding vocal talent of Luft.

Overshadowed by first her mother, then her sister, Luft has still had an impressive career, with several Broadway shows to her credit. Here she proves her talent lies in the kind of one-woman show that her mother excelled at. Accompanied by an impressive orchestra - arranged and conducted by her husband Colin R Freeman - Luft belts out classic numbers such as Come Rain or Shine and Hello Bluebird in a style that is all her own. A ‘duet’ with a Garland recording on You’re Nearer provides an extremely powerful moment.

American showbusiness schmaltz hangs heavily over Act II, with recordings of Luft’s children’s voices requesting a story. However, the Born in a Trunk medley, where Luft outlines her mother’s film career, is one of the show’s highlights, as is Birth of the Blues, complete with reminiscences about Sammy Davis Jr.

A large screen at the back of the stage is put to good use, reminding us why Garland was so special. However, this show belongs to Luft, who does her mother’s memory proud and creates quite a legacy of her own.