Review: Laura Benanti - Nobody Cares (Underbelly Boulevard)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has finished for another year, with a number of shows still generating a buzz from their August run. While we wait to see how these shows develop and return in the future, there is a chance for London audiences to catch some of the highlights, with their one-night-only “Fringe Fix”. Among the shows appearing is Broadway star Laura Benanti with her one-woman show Nobody Cares. This is one show I was most envious about seeing, so I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see this musical theatre superstar in London. Would it live up to my expectations, or would the self-deprecating title prove to be very apt?

If you are unfamiliar with Laura Benanti, she bursts onto the stage, introducing herself as a one-time Tony Award-winner (for Gypsy) and a four-time Tony Award loser. Her talents also extend to the screen with appearances in “38 films and TV shows nobody cares about” (her words, not mine), including my personal favourite, Nashville. Over the course of one hour, Laura recounts the highs and lows from her life and career in Nobody Cares, from relationship troubles to motherhood to perimenopause, all while being a recovering ingenue and an eternal people pleaser.

I have to start by saying that prior to this show, I was only aware of Laura Benanti for her talents as an actor and a singer. What I didn’t realise is how incredibly funny she is. Her delivery of jokes and ability to pace a story to really land the punchline were absolutely exceptional throughout, setting her up as one of the comedy greats. If you’d never heard of Benanti before, you’d be forgiven for thinking she was a comedian first and foremost. Over the course of one hour, she had the audience in the palm of their hands, riffing with them as they reacted (or didn’t react in some cases) to her anecdotes in a thoroughly intimate performance that felt perfect for the cosy yet effective space of Underbelly Boulevard.

If you are more familiar with Benanti’s Broadway credits and were expecting her to blitz through a selection of them, you might have been surprised by the show you got in its place, but certainly wouldn’t have left disappointed – though we did get a little burst of ‘Send In The Clowns’, at least. Through a series of comedic songs, Benanti sang about wanting attention, questioning where the good men are, and even an appearance from a singing princess toothbrush at one point (yes, you heard that right). The musical highlight came towards the climax with the heartfelt message to her two daughters, ‘Mama’s A Liar’. Each number was performed with such skill and panache as you would expect from an accomplished star of Benanti’s level, with her sensational vocals and storytelling ability always a marvel to watch.

Nobody Cares is a no-holds-barred watch, with Benanti regularly self-deprecating and self-aware, owning up to a moment from her life that wouldn’t paint her in the best light, while accepting her flaws and working with the audience to not only own them but overcome them where necessary. In that respect, this was a very real and raw show, but it was in how unashamed and unafraid the performance was that made it such a thrilling watch.

Though the laughs come thick and fast, there is a more serious message to be found at the heart of Nobody Cares, with serious topics such as postpartum depression dealt with in ways that only endear Benanti to the audience even more. With a laugh never far away, the way Benanti has crafted this show is a testament to how skilful she is as both a creator and a performer, and the result is a story that blew me away more than I ever expected. Through her natural warmth and charms, Benanti manages to make the night feel like you are listening to a friend regale you with stories from her life, while never forgetting that you are actually in the presence of one of Broadway’s finest.

In her own self-deprecating way, Laura Benanti may have commented how she always wanted to play the West End, “but I guess this is fine” – however, don’t be surprised if this show returns to the West End, bigger than before, as everybody should care about this phenomenal show.

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares played at Underbelly Boulevard on 2^nd August. Keep an eye on https://www.nobodycaresplay.com/ for any future performances

Photos by Avery Brunkus