The Husband & I caught the film- The Party the other evening, while channel surfing & we decided to stay with it, although we had rented it years ago. One of the stars is Kevin Kline, one of the great loves of my life. But I kept riffing on the the career & personality of Alan Cumming. I was 1st aware of Cumming in 1998 through his Tony winning turn as the emcee in the Sam Mendes-Rob Marshall revival of Cabaret. He certainly seemed to be a very arresting figure when I saw him on the Tony Broadcast. While Cumming has played his share of classical roles in an extremely eclectic career, including a very well received Hamlet in London, his main image seems to be: naughty scamp, a persona that holds my interest. Cumming has done nothing to discourage this, playing a variety of louche characters: Dionysus, Mack the Knife, the Devil, in theater & film. He wrote a semiautobiographical novel-Tommy's Tale, about a sex obsessed, drug ridden bisexual; & starring in a provocative campaign promoting the fragrance line that bears his last name.
Last week I downloaded his very good new album- Blue Car, with songs of love, loss & yearning by such songwriters as John Bucchino ("A Catered Affair"), William Finn ("Falsettos") & pop singer Jimmy Webb as well as originals by Cumming himself with his musical director, Lance Horne. I am impressed with his non-theatre singing & his surprisingly touching interpetations. I can be so juvinile, I still giggle at his last name, which I have had to type several times. Cumming lives in NYC with his husband of 4 years- illustrator Grant Shaffer Today is his birthday.He turns 46 today.
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