Following a sold-out run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Tony Award-winning Broadway star Laura Benanti makes her London debut with her 5-star one-woman comedy show Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares at Underbelly Boulevard Soho on 2 September (7pm and 9pm) for two performances only. Tickets here.
“Nobody Cares” is such a great title. What does it mean to you, and how did it become the name for this show?
There are many meanings to Nobody Cares. I think we have all had moments where we feel like we are sharing something or working hard and nobody seems to care. Moving through that insecurity or frankly letting go of worrying about that is really hard but so important. I also look back on my life and think of how many times I thought people were judging me for something I did or said, when in reality nobody cared. And lastly, it is something that my youngest daughter said to me at a very hilarious moment. I don’t want to tell you because I don’t want to give it away.
UK audiences may know you from Colbert as Melania or from Gypsy on Broadway, but this is such a different format. What excites you most about performing in a more intimate, cabaret-style setting?
I think the term “cabaret” paints a different picture in the States. I have been a bit allergic to that word because when I hear it I think of a woman in a gown draped across a piano singing “Moon River”. But I realize in the UK it means a completely different thing. My show is an unusual format in that it’s sort of a heightened, autobiographical stand-up comedy with original comedy songs (co-written with the brilliant Todd Almond). It isn’t what people might imagine my show to be. It is quite cheeky, with adult themes and language. I recommend that people under 16 not see it. This show is my absolute favorite thing to do. Connecting with the audience as myself and being a bit naughty is such a thrill. Audiences have responded to it so beautifully, but I want people to know what they are in for! I will not be singing Broadway music!
Looking back to your 18-year-old self stepping onto Broadway, what would you tell her now with everything you’ve learned?
I don’t know if I would have been able to fully understand what I would want to tell her. I think, ultimately, I some it up in the final song, “Recovering Ingenue”. I say “you don’t have to be perfect and shiny and new, and do everything everyone wants you to do. And I only know this because, just like you, I was an ingenue too…”
You’ve played everything from classic Broadway roles to late-night comedy. Does your heart lean more towards one side – musicals or comedy – or do you love the balance of both?
I love the balance of both, and I feel so grateful that I am able to be a part of such different artforms. While I don’t do impressions in this show, in many ways this show blends the two. I get to sing and tell stories and make people laugh.
If audiences walk away with one feeling after “Nobody Cares,” what do you hope it is?
That we don’t have to be defined by our past. We can move forward with kindness and a sense of humor about our younger selves. And that if everybody likes you, you’re lying to someone. It’s ultimately easier and more gratifying just to be yourself. And “yourself” can take time to find, and that’s OK.