From the Heart at the Garrick Theatre Review
From the Heart full company. Photo: Eamonn B Shanahan
Don Black is a lyricist like no other. Responsible for some of musical theatre and popular music’s most enduring hits, the Oscar, Tony and Olivier Award-winning wordsmith returns to London with From the Heart, following its engagement at the Fortune Theatre last year. A musical revue paying tribute to the intimate atmosphere of a New York cabaret, it is a joyous celebration of cabaret and a remarkable songwriting career.
Without a conventional narrative, From the Heart finds its strength in the extraordinary variety of lives captured within its songs. Funny, tender and frequently poignant, Black’s lyrics draw on the human experience, finding drama in life’s great milestones as readily as in its most inconsequential trivialities. Each number offers a fleeting glimpse into a character’s world, often revealing an entire story in just a few minutes. Black has a gift for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, consistently striking an emotional chord. Pardon the pun, but these songs hit all the right notes.
Featuring an impressive roster of collaborators, including Gary Barlow, Natasha Bedingfield and Geoff Stephens, the revue presents a succession of miniature stories, each with its own distinct character. Black’s voiceovers, introducing the inspiration behind selected numbers including his beloved wife and family, add a personal dimension. Nick Winston’s direction is elegant and understated, allowing the material to speak for itself. The atmosphere is wonderfully intimate, as though being welcomed into a room full of stories, music and shared experience. On a cold October night, its warmth is particularly welcome.
The performers are a formidable collection of talent. With five principal cast members and a special guest at each performance, the evening boasts an embarrassment of vocal riches. Caroline O’Connor is dazzling, bringing theatricality and expressive precision to the material, while Michael D. Xavier delivers with exquisite control and musicality and masterful technique. Clive Rowe is magnificent, his rich voice and natural warmth perfectly suited to the characterful numbers. Frances Mayli McCann combines vocal power with emotional sensitivity, while Shona McGarty shines with assuredness and compelling stage presence. Beyond their vocal prowess, this exceptional ensemble brings humanity to these brief musical portraits, giving each story its own identity.
Tonight’s special guest, Michael Ball, brought the evening to a rousing high with Love Changes Everything. In fine voice, his unmistakable presence provided a fitting reminder of the enduring power of a great musical theatre song.
The finale celebrates Black’s most recognisable work, underlining the extraordinary breadth of his catalogue. James Bond enthusiasts are particularly well served, with five Bond songs represented. Diamonds Are Forever, Thunderball and The World Is Not Enough feature in a wonderfully delivered suite that showcases the cast at their best. There are also welcome nods to Black’s collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, including a stunning Sunset Boulevard section by O’Connor and Xavier, Aspects of Love and Tell Me on a Sunday. The Oscar-winning Born Free receives a beautiful airing, alongside the unmistakable theme from The Italian Job, the Oscar-nominated Ben performed beautifully by Rowe and Anyone Can Fall in Love, adapted from the EastEnders theme sung expertly by Ex-Eastenders McGarty. It is an exhilarating reminder of just how many songs Black has given the world.
Ultimately, From the Heart is an affectionate tribute to cabaret and to a lyricist whose extraordinary contribution deserves celebration beyond his best-known hits. There is something quietly moving about hearing these songs together: a reminder that the smallest observations and most personal experiences can become universal when expressed in the right words.
With its outstanding cast, understated staging and abundance of warmth, From the Heart is a thoroughly delightful evening of musical storytelling. Its title could hardly be more fitting.
From the Heart runs at the Garrick until 18th October.
★★★★
Written by Phil for Theatre and Tonic, October 2026.