Fringe - Highly - Recommended
FringeReview UK 2025
The Space In-Between
Margaret Curry, Deep Flight Productions
Genre: Music, Story Songs
Venue: The Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zédel, London
Festival: FringeReview UK
Low Down
Margaret told us stories in songs and in tales from her life, her family: ‘the spaces in-between is where the magic happens’. She is a charming powerhouse and completely in control of her material. We saw an actress doing what she does best, using music, words and her craft to make us understand how she and we feel about the world.
Review
I had the privilege to review Margaret Curry’s performance at the Edinburgh Fringe in August this year, where she gave a master-class in acting in the one woman play ‘Who We Become Part 1: The Moonshot Tape’ by Lanford Wilson. I was thus keen to see what else she would do and went with a friend to London to hear Margaret sing at this one-off concert, her London debut. A few words about the venue: The Brasserie Zédel is a real find near Piccadilly Circus, a French themed venue with a café, an American bar, an enormous glittering and noisy restaurant and a small and intimate club, the Crazy Coqs, where this concert began at 9.15pm with a small but enthusiastic crowd attending. They had interesting cocktails for sale and the snacks were tasty, the portions generous. A lovely ambience, we decided that just coming here was already worth the journey.
Three musicians sat down on stage: the drummer, a solid David Silliman, struck up a pacy rhythm and in strode Margaret Curry – beautiful in a long black gown that showed off her toned arms, her hair golden and wavy – and began to scat-sing ‘Day In, Day Out’ (Mercer/Bloom) to a bare beat and with an energy that made me wonder how she was going to keep that up for the next 75 minutes (she did!). Soon Gregory Toroian, beautifully relaxed and creative on the piano and Skip Ward, confident on the bass, joined in and we were off on an adventure in songs that without any exception had lyrics worth hearing, if perhaps only this time. Margaret is an actor and she pays real attention to the words before she speaks or sings them. The line I feel sums up the evening best comes from Elvis and Me by Jimmy Webb, an almost corny ditty about a fan who meets his hero: “Let me tell you a story”.
Margaret told us story after story, in songs and in tales from her life, her family: ‘the spaces in-between is where the magic happens’ is how she explained the title of her show. It was hard for me to forget the Margaret I saw in Edinburgh, the grim, devastatingly hurt woman she played there against this smiling powerhouse, charming and completely in control of her material, her wonderful stories. I kept expecting her to crash, to tell us something dreadful, but that was then, this was a different show; still, again we saw an actress doing what she does best, using music, words and her craft to make us understand how she and we feel about the world.
Some very well known songs were almost forensically examined, for example ‘Ain’t nobody loves me better’ (David “Hawk” Wolinski) made famous by Chaka Khan, becomes the most beautiful and urgent love story when sung by Margaret Curry. The first lines “Captured effortlessly/That’s the way it was” are tempting to say out loud and even though the rest of the lyrics are almost trite when sung in the original version, we saw and felt now that this woman was deeply in love with a man, it was as if he was standing there in front of her, and she meant every word and made them suddenly sound not at all trite.
Many of the songs were linked to Margaret’s family story. She told us how she left Houston “Oh black water, keep on rolling” and went to New York City for, as she said, “creativity and joy to be her North Star”. She later visits Texas again in song, hysterically sending up the ladies who bring shared lunches with outrageous ingredients in the “Lime Jell-O Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise” (William Bolcom). This and other songs showed off her ability to speed through patter like a demon without one word missing – her delivery crystal clear. And I shall never forget the little compressed laugh with which she characterised the main lady.
There were tender and emotional moments when Margaret described how her parents coped with dad having to care for mum after 50 years of marriage and quoted the song ‘There may be trouble ahead’ singing the sad and prescient line: “Soon, we’ll be without the moon” as part of the storytelling.
My friend and I loved it when Margaret sang with her full voice, giving us ballads about women and their fates, reminding us how far we have come, touchingly telling the tale of ‘The Ballad of Robin & Marian’ by Michele Brourman, and the angry and quite shocking ‘The Last Words of Bonnie Parker’ by Susan Werner, two female singer/songwriters I am excited to discover.
I would have wished for Margaret to have had a sympathetic hand at the sound engineering desk, someone who knew her and the songs well enough to softly support her on some of the more exposed notes with gentle reverb. After three weeks performing two very demanding plays at the Fringe, her voice could perhaps have done with a break before embarking on such a full on programme of songs. My friend and I were both a bit annoyed at the incidental music that played before and immediately after the concert, it sounded flat, was in keeping neither with the concert nor the venue, and gave us no chance to even clap for an encore. While everything there was beautiful and lovingly styled, the technician in his shorts and t-shirt looked like he had ambled in off the street and was not part of the event. But that is a tiny concern, it was a brilliant evening and we were both thrilled to have been there.
Margaret Curry: The Space In-Between Review / Crazy Coqs, Zedel, London W1
Margaret Curry: The Space In-Between Review / Crazy Coqs, Zedel, London W1
5***
Clearly still buzzing from a successful debut stint at the Edinburgh Fringe, Texan by way of the Big Apple, Margaret Curry treated the Crazy Coqs late evening crowd to a truly bewitching performance of story and music reflecting and explaining her central convictions.
The title of the show is The Space In-Between which, she believes, is “where all the good stuff actually comes from”. In round terms, the space in-between is analogous to those key transition points in life, necessarily involving some risk and a step into the unknown – a development that inevitably leads to personal (and professional) growth. She’s not wrong – in the hard nosed world of commerce, there is a saying – no risk, no business…
Although Margaret Curry is not well known this side of the pond, she is an award winning performer – gaining the 2024 Backstage Bistro Award for The Space In-Between and a nomination as the 2025 Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Club Awards for Best Female Vocalist. Her beautifully and intelligently constructed show (director – Lina Koutrakos) amply demonstrates those credentials.
Integral to this brilliant display of the cabaret oeuvre is her outrageously stellar long time accompanists – musical director, arranger and pianist Gregory Toroian, Skip Ward (bass guitar) and David Silliman (drums). Flown in from New York especially for this event, I have to say I was left wondering about the economics of mounting such a show. They were sensational.
As a seasoned actress, Margaret is supremely relaxed on stage and a naturally engaging and humourous communicator, which along with the confessional nature of her between songs stories, creates a genuinely intimate pleasure dome for the audience to bask in. Her crystal clear voice means you can hear absolutely every word she sings. In most cases, this proves revelatory for songs you thought you knew and compelling for any that were new to you.
The eclectic song selection is largely unfamiliar but inspired, collecting several interesting songwriters not normally associated with the nightclub scene. Some scintillatingly original and effective arrangements combine with Margaret’s luminous vocals to present what previously might have been aural wallpaper in a completely new light. It really is a million miles from the usual cabaret fare.
Each song supports, reflects and amplifies the substance of the preamble giving a natural and coherent flow to proceedings. Margaret introduces the show with an initially percussion led ‘Day In, Day Out’ (Rube Bloom/Johnny Mercer) before moving onto ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ (Johnny Mercer).
Then we get the first surprise – a brilliant reading of the Doobie Brothers’ ‘Black Water’ (Pat Simmons). One of several highlights during the evening that will send me back to investigate back catalogues with renewed interest.
Next is the funky ‘Ain’t Nobody’ (Hawk Wolinski) as never heard before. It was previously a hit for funk band Rufus featuring Chaka Khan. Things revert to more standard material for the next couple of numbers – ‘Lets Face the Music and Dance’ (Irving Berlin) and ‘Down With Love’ (Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg) featuring tasteful backing vocals from the band,
From here on, we get a series of mostly unfamiliar songs which add to the originality and quality of the show, elevating it from intriguing to truly memorable. The unusual song choice can only result from some serious time investment in research and listening. There’s Jimmy Webb’s ‘Elvis and Me’, a wonderful reading of Orbison’s ‘Blue Bayou’, the quite hilarious ‘Lime Jell-O Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise’ (William Bolcom) and the bossa nova beat of ‘Let’s Eat Home’ (David Frishberg).
Margaret also makes references to female emancipation with ‘The Ballad of Robin and Marian’ (Michel Brourman) and the excellent ‘The Last Words of Bonnie Parker’ (Susan Werner). Then, as a self confessed follower of Kurt Vonnegut’s philosophy (we are here on earth to fart about!) Margaret, with delightful backing vocals from the band gives us an extremely soulful version of the Isley Brothers’ ‘It’s Your Thing’ (Ronald, O’Kelly & Rudolph Isley) followed by the pure sunshine joy ofMargaret closes an entrancing and thoroughly polished show with the clearly, very personal ‘Unwritten’ (Natasha Bedingfield)
Hugh Masakela’s ‘Grazin’ in the Grass’ (Philemon Hou/Harry Elston).
This has to be one of the most enjoyable visits I’ve ever made to the Crazy Coqs. Margaret Curry and her band produce an exhilarating evening of original, exciting and fulfilling entertainment with a well conceived show, fabulous song selection, brilliantly creative interpretations, outstanding musicianship and faultless delivery. I’m a fan !
© fairypoweredproductions.com - By: Phil Brown
Cabaret Reviews
Roy Sander, critic
The
poignant quality in Margaret Curry’s voice was perfect for her moving
rendition of the Ellington/Mills/Kurtz standard, “In a Sentimental
Mood.”
Peter Leavy, Cabaret Scenes
Very talented…Curry excels on a tender “Birmingham” (Tyson/McTaggart/O’Brien).
John Hoglund, Bistro Bits
A Fascinating Cabaret Debut
Barbara & Scott Siegel
A
fine actress with lots of presence and poise. The raw ingredients of a fine cabaret artist are clearly in evidence and she is already exceptional...Curry has surrounded herself with excellent musicians:
Rick Jensen's arrangements are exciting and bass player Mark Wade adds a sweet dimension with his exquisite bowing. From what we saw of Curry in the very first performance of her debut cabaret act, we can say that she's a gifted entertainer with considerable potential.
Barbara & Scott Siegel, Theatremania