Last week was Big Mama Masters‘ 75th birthday.  As the dutiful son, I wielded what little clout I have and arranged to bring her to see Barbra Streisand in Boston.  We were seated on the floor about halfway back – choice seats.  Halfway through the first act, she excitedly whispered, “I wish I could see her up close”.  From that point onward, I could hear her wheels turning, and half expected to see my mother crawling onstage behind the percussion section!  During the intermission, I brought her to meet the director (and benefactor of our tickets), Richard Jay-Alexander.  He said he was happy to make it a special birthday and hoped she was having a great time.  My ever-gracious mother said, “It’s wonderful – I just wish I could see Barbra up close.”  RJA was somewhat taken aback.  “But you’re pretty close to the stage, and you can also look up at the monitors.”  “Yes,” said Mama, “but I mean up close like I am to you!”  And you people wonder where I got my balls?!

As to the concert (and I’ll be brief since I already reviewed the show), I must correct myself.  When I saw the dress rehearsal, I said Barbra was delivering about 80 percent prime Streisand – not bad for a 74-year-old woman.  I must report that is no longer the case.  After two weeks of shows, Barbra is up to roughly 95 percent!  Where some rasp was detected around a B or a C, it now doesn’t creep in until about an E-flat.  People often forget that the voice is a muscle and it must be kept in shape, and BJ (as I like to call her) is notorious for not practicing unless she has to; and she doesn’t warm up.  The dress rehearsal reflected that.  But now, I’m astonished that she seems to have turned back the hands of time.  In my initial review, I had two major caveats with the show.  First, I didn’t like seeing Babs as a magician’s assistant in the middle of the first act, and I didn’t like seeing the words to “Happy Days Are Here Again” projected for the audience to “Sing Along with Streisand” during the encore.  Well, the mentalist is now opening the second act without Babs, and the words on the screen are gone.  You’re welcome!

Before Boston, Barbra was in Brooklyn – try saying that three times fast!  Joining her as a duet partner in her hometown was Jamie Foxx.  And he wasn’t there alone.  We’re told that Foxx was joined backstage by his “special friend”, Katie Holmes.  The two have apparently been “close” for some time now…whatever that means.