Maguire Attempts to Convince With Cabaret

Cabaret is about authenticity, about stepping down from the large stage of performance to the intimate theater of personal interaction. The most affecting cabaret artists are those who can convince their audiences that what they are saying and singing has the ring of personal truth.

All of which are reasons it can be difficult for many musical theater artists--familiar with role playing and large venue projection--to make the transition to more intimate performing circumstances.

On Tuesday at the Cinegrill, Michael Maguire, who won a Tony in 1987 for his performance as Enjoras in the original Broadway production of “Les Miserables,” encountered some of the problems associated with that shift.

Despite an occasional phrase plagued by wobbly pitch, Maguire revealed a big-toned, versatile voice. Effective vocally in moments ranging from the folk-tinged sounds of Don McLean’s “Vincent” to the high drama of “Bring Him Home,” his feature number from “Les Miserables,” he rarely displayed comparable skill in bringing believability to his interpretations.

There was no denying Maguire’s work ethic in his hourlong set. Playing guitar, telling life-story anecdotes, whistling and--in one brief sequence--producing sounds by slapping his cheeks, he seemed determined to make an impact. What was missing was the feeling that his renderings ever got past the level of his own effusive personality and into the heart of the material.

* Michael Maguire, through Saturday at the Cinegrill, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., L.A., 8 p.m. $15, two-drink minimum. (323) 466-7000.