Friends and a piano

Press, 14 March 1978, Page 6

Friends and a piano

By

STAN DARLING

What a swellegant, elegant partv it was.

Don’t praise Marian Montgomery and Richard Rodney Bennett too much, someone said. People will think you’re in love. We are. To the occasional tinkle of tipped-over wine glasses and a muffled clatter from the Limes Room kitchen, the “Just Friends” performers belted and crooned through a lovely cafe show. It was oh so loverly sitting abso-bioomin’-lutely still, just listening. One performer standing near the piano, and the other playing it — that simple musical idea can be one of the best when done well. Miss Montgomery and Mr Bennett do. it extremely well. They flow from blues to

rock to moons in June and Gershwin tunes seemingly with the greatest of ease. “Give me a p-i-a-n-o-oh-oh,” Miss Montgomery sang, “he knows fine ways to treat a Steinway.” Even if it was a Yamaha.

The quick change artists performed some fine duets, but also stood aside to let each other have their own way. Thev did not go wrong with whimsical, musical songs.

“What’s a lady like me doing in a joint like this?” Miss Montgomery sang soon after someone had gone to shush the kitchen staff, who might have thought they were only providing atmosphere.

In an exuberant way. Miss | Montgomery swirled across the stage, crossed her eyes,’ whooped, laughed, growled, 1 and did comic turns. She and

her compbser friend took the Limes Room intimacy and made it even more intimate.

“When this evening is over, you’re gonna be where it’s at,” the lady sang. Her audience knew they were there long before the evening was over.

Miss Montgomery said she was a night owl, honey, from the James Taylor song, and Mr Bennet said he liked “just a little lovin’, early in the morning.” Their st’ les may have been different, but they got along just fine. They said thev were both allergic to hay in one song, while showing thev are far from musically allergic to each other. The friendliest thine two people could do would, be to see them again on Friday in the James Hay Theatre. They make you feel so young.