“The World Goes Round” Spans the Multilayered Catalog of Kander and Ebb

by Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer

New Rep’s summer show is “The World Goes Round,” a collection of Kander and Ebb songs performed in cabaret style. Although the show begins with a hefty dose of schmaltz, as it continues it allows its talented performers numerous chances to display moment after moment of genuine emotion – genuine joy, genuine sadness, and true hilarity.

Kander and Ebb have a very large catalogue of songs, and while “The World Goes Round” is a lovely tribute to their repertoire, its dedication to the range of subject matter has a bit of a jarring effect. One of the most famous pieces Kander and Ebb produced is the title song from the musical “Cabaret.” “What good is sitting alone in your room?,” it asks, and it is often performed as an opening to musical revues; an invitation to come out and enjoy life. In the context of the show for which it was written, though, it is a deeply sad song, a song sung by a woman on the brink of desperation. This disconnect between the original intent of the song and the way it is often used is a prime example of the largest problem with “The World Goes Round” – an imbalance between heavy and light.

While all of the songs are enjoyable as individual entities, it is disconcerting to hear “The Grass Is Always Greener” – a hilarious little duet – and then to soon after be treated to a version of “Money Money,” which was written to portray the pain of poverty that struck during the Holocaust. The show can’t decide on the overall effect it wants to have, and that hurts the piece as a whole.

Despite this organizational flaw, however, “The World Goes Round” offers many moments of great entertainment. Leigh Barrett is the first to cast a spell, with a moving rendition of “Colored Lights.” Shannon Lee Jones turns heads with “Arthur in the Afternoon,” as well as a fresh take on the often-performed “All That Jazz.” Although some lesser tunes are also done (such as the fairly ridiculous “Sara Lee”), they detract very little from the strength of the more powerful numbers. This show is valuable for the moments in which the genuine sneaks in – as Leigh Barrett recounts her loneliness in “Isn’t This Better?”, as Aimee Doherty describes love as “A Quiet Thing” – for these glimpses into the human spirit, this is a piece of theater worth seeing.