“Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age” – Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Theater Review – November 13, 2022
ALAN CUMMING PRESENTS ENTERTAINING SCOTTSDALE PERFORMANCE
“ALAN CUMMING IS NOT ACTING HIS AGE”
Virginia G. Piper Theater, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Scottsdale, AZ
By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic
Alan Cumming is the consummate entertainer as he proved mightily in his high energy, musically interesting solo appearance at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. He billed his performance “Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age” as he amusingly bemoaned his 57 years. His candid and raunchy chatter between the dozen musical numbers allowed him to talk openly about his life. He focused the discussion on his outsize sexual gymnastics but a few tales showed his touching side.
The Broadway and London West End musical theater star who has also had a winning movie and television career, formed a cleverly diverse show. Between the popular musical theater songs styled to his performance expertise including dynamic and vocally interesting climaxes, his chatty career stories included his openly frank gay discussions about his varied life experiences. These honest and revealing stories made the show charmingly delightful as he exposed his many stimulating and remarkable foibles. Cumming’s even owns a New York City gay bar which sanctioned several waggish tales.
His musical renderings were supported by a remarkable four-piece orchestral group. Each of his dozen songs were delivered with explosive theatrical panache that brought the sell-out crowd to render wild applause. There wasn’t a musical misstep during his 90-minute set. And the tunes included one song Cumming authored, “I Want to See You,” about his many romantic flings that brought him to many warm comments about his now long-running marriage to Grant Shaffer.
Between the many adored musical theater favorites, his chitchat about his diverse life and career was bountifully filled with many adult-themed descriptions of his very openly gay life.
An especially revealing tale told of his Palm Springs appearance at Carol Channing’s 95th birthday celebration that opened up a very racy tale about “The Brady Bunch” star Florence Henderson, who was also part of the celebration. Apparently, the party didn’t include anything stronger than wine to drink but both Henderson and Cumming yearned for something heftier. Turns out Henderson had stashed a bottle of Vodka in her tote so the pair drank themselves into a relaxed alcoholic stupor behind a pillar that hid their exploits as they imbibed on the smuggled goodie. Cumming also told a heart-wrenching tale about putting his adored dog down and how the devastating process impacted him.
One problem was the sound which allowed some of Cumming’s words to get lost and there were times when audience members were relating missed dialogue to friends raising the question of did Cumming’s do a necessary sound check before the performance.
Alan Cumming’s wonderfully amusing and musically glorious Scottsdale appearance was a huge hit. Locals can always hope he will perform one of his musical theater performances here. Regrettably, Cumming’s show only played a single performance.
Grade: A
