A life and an era re-created with the simplicity of an empty stage, a grand piano, a cloth covered stool with a teapot and teacup.
Michael Griffiths enters the stage and starting with Vogue he weaves Madonna’s most popular songs with a story line that is acerbic, sarcastic and touching in its humanity towards this cultural icon. He skewers Lady Gaga’s recent attempts to outshine Madonna, people who illegally download her music and Guy Richie’s circumcision. His sense of poise and timing add humour to his delivery yet one senses Michael’s love for the songs of this cultural icon and his deep affection for this woman who created her persona and then re-created it to consolidate her position as a cultural icon.
Michael has a rich strong baritone voice. The strength of his voice combined with the simplicity of the piano give a new strength and clarity to the songs we have grown up with. There is poignancy to the song “Papa Don’t Preach” that is flipped with the biting humour of “Cry Baby”. The song “Human Nature” has an almost desperate justification to it, where as “Like a Prayer” has a beautiful almost sad entreaty.
While Michael in no way attempts to become Madonna, the strength of his performance is such the lines between Michael and Madonna become blurred as he takes us through the life of this icon. Indeed, if Michael were to try and be Madonna in drag it would detract from his impact because it is his ability to take us into the emotional space that allows us to create in our own minds our experiences and memories of this woman.
Michael engages with his audience with genuine warmth. He handles with grace the discourtesy of audience members who do not turn off their mobile phones without belittling them or losing his train of thought. His sense of timing is brilliant constantly changing from sarcasm to humour to song. This is a show that is highly recommended, which is over far too soon and which leaves you wishing you could spend the night just sitting listening to Michael playing the piano, singing and talking about his other iconic loves.
‘In Vogue – The Songs of Madonna’ is on downstairs at The Maj until Saturday 31 August. Read our interview with Michael from our August 2013 edition.
David Kernohan
Image: Jon Green
