The Cher Show

Cher opens the show with a sultry, slowed-down rendition of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” dressed in a rainbow halter dress and wrap, dramatically tossing it aside to reveal her toned abs. In her monologue, she jokes about the fragility of her dress, old wives’ tales, and superstitions, making light of bad omens and dropping silverware. She and Nancy Walker, both clad in black and silver pantsuits, introduce themselves as “two gorgeous sex symbols” and sing “The Trouble with Men,” a comedic number about the frustrations of dating. Walker plays Wanda the Fat Lady in a hilarious circus-themed skit, lamenting her romantic misfortunes with various sideshow performers, while Cher portrays a morbidly unhelpful Red Cross nurse. As Donna Jean Brodine, Cher promotes the Laff-o-Matic, a slapstick comedian kit, tormenting her sidekick Lamar Joe Puckett with gags before ending up with whipped cream on her own face. She follows with a melancholic rendition of “Sunshine on My Shoulders,” set in a candlelit artist’s loft, gazing through rain-streaked windows. In “Life with Laverne,” Laverne crashes Liberace’s extravagant home tour, marveling at his chandeliers, golden doors, and lavishly roped-off cars while making flirtatious remarks that he continually rebuffs. The segment ends with Liberace performing “The Way We Were” in his signature embellished style. Cher then transforms into Miss Primly, the uptight principal of Lizzie Borden High, clashing with Nancy Walker’s cafeteria cook over absurd school lunch offerings. Linda Ronstadt takes the stage for “When Will I Be Loved,” her pure voice contrasting with her stiff, nervous stage presence. She joins Cher for a duet medley of “Drift Away” and “Rip It Up,” where Cher’s breezy confidence seems to ease Ronstadt’s tension. The show closes with Cher bidding farewell, joined by Ronstadt and Walker for a reprise of “Rip It Up,” as Walker humorously covers her ears before joining the dance.