For some American actors the draw to live and work in the UK is just to impossible to pass up on, especially when their work is so well received. Three time Oliver Award Winner (the British equivalent of a Tony) David Bedella is a case in question.
Bedella moved to London from in 2001 with his future husband Reverend Pressley Sutherland, and just three years later picked up his first Olivier for his performance in Jerry Springer – The Opera. He went on to perform the lead roles in the Rocky Horror Show, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Producers and eventually, the role for which he won the What’s On Stage and his second Olivier Award, Kevin Rosario in the London premiere of In The Heights in 2015.
He has not just enjoyed enormous success on the stage , but also in 5 TV dramas for the BBC such as Holby City. And equally important in establishing his performing credibility in the UK he did the most British of all theatrical experiences, he actually performed in a Pantomime.
Now adding another string to his bow, Bedella is doing Cabaret at Crazy Coqs. He is no stranger to this world having won London Cabaret Society’s Best Long Running Cabaret Award in 2015 for his live chat shows, but this time its just him and Steve Clark his Musical Director/Accompanist and some of his favorite songs.
Due to the Covid Lockdown there is no live audience, but Bedella turns this to his advantage and makes us feel we are part of an intimate evening at home with him. instead of giving us a greatest hits program from all the shows he has starred in, Bedella opts to share with us songs from people who have influenced him. They include Eydie Gormé, David Bowie, Johnny Mathis, Trisha Yearwood, and somewhat surpassingly, Michael Jackson.
He also chose to respond to the British politician who recently publicly stated that maybe it was time for actors/performers who were jobless because of Covid. His response came from Sweet Charity with There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This.
Bedella is a disarmingly charming talented man who we cannot help warm too with his self-effacing comments ……he claims that he is as short as Imelda Staunton. He oozes both contentment and confidence as he chats away to Clark as if we are not even there.
It’s a very un-showy show that Bedella brings to a perfect end with a performance of his late parents’ favorite hymn ‘Let There Be Peace On Earth’.
An Evening With David Bedella ☆☆☆☆
https://www.brasseriezedel.com/crazy-coqs/Labels: 2021, David Bedella, London, London Theatre, review
