CABARET REVIEW : Hopkins: In the Mood for Love Songs at Cinegrill

Singer Kaitlin Hopkins has a lot going for her. At the relatively young age of 25, her voice has already matured into a warmly expressive instrument. Hopkins looks good, has an easy on-stage manner, and clearly has inherited many of the superb acting instincts of her mother, Shirley Knight.

Her opening set at the Cinegrill Wednesday night was a well-rehearsed, carefully planned exercise in contemporary cabaret. The program moved easily from standards like “It Had to Be You” to a wide range of contemporary material, some of it written expressly for her.

Versatility was the theme of the evening. Several of the numbers were tailored to display Hopkins’ impressive capacity for large-scale belting. Other pieces showcased crisp rhythms and high-flying, blues-based articulateness.

Her rich, husky tones were particularly striking on the ballads, which were performed with powerful emotional intensity. Problems arose only during those occasional periods when a too-diligent quest for interpretation lead Hopkins into Bernadette Peters-like histrionics. Occasional moments of humor--a Betty Boop vocal inflection here, a sardonic love song reference there--provided welcome relief.

The overall selection of material, however, left something to be desired. The monochromatic focus on moody love songs, for example, tended to become wearying, despite the occasional punctuations of humor.

There also was the feeling that Hopkins was relying too strongly on her dramatic skills. As fine a singer as she is, right now, she will be a far more compelling cabaret artist when she uses her expressive voice and splendid musical instincts to reach into the heart of a song, rather than merely be content to interpret its exterior.

Hopkins, who was accompanied in superb fashion by the Ron Abel trio, continues at the Cinegrill through Saturday.