简介：InthewakeofMTV,disco,andtheriseofreality-basedtelevisionand24/7gossip,thenotionofthepopdivahasbecomecommonplace,thetitleconferredonanincreasinglybroad(anddubious)arrayofladieswhosing.Considerthisbrilliant1994concertspecial,originallyairedoncable,bothasawarningaboutthedebasementoftheterm,andasaprimeronhowatruepopdivacomportsherself.Actingasproduceranddirector,andweavingherconsiderablegiftsasanactressthroughasumptuousbouquetofwonderfulsongs,BarbraStreisandcreatesabeautifullystructuredtwo-actreviewthatworksonmultiplelevels. Asautobiography,Barbra--TheConcertshuttlesadroitlybetweenherplainBrooklynoriginsandplushcontemporarystationasaHollywoodhyphenate.Usingarchivalstillsandfilmfootage,aswellassomedeftfilmclips(suchasabriefbutdisarming"duet"withMarlonBrandothatreconstructsher"life-altering"teencrushontheactor)andwittysessionswithanunseentherapist,Streisandmanagestospoofherownimageandtweakhersupposedglamour,yetalsocelebrateherownpersistentambitionandartisticachievement.Crucialtothisself-analysisisasavvychoiceofsuperbsongsconspicuouslyskewedtoBroadwaymusicals,fromwhichshe'schosenpiecesthatmirrorherownbeliefsandexperiences.Intheprocess,shemakessuchself-referentialtacticsseemrevelatoryinsteadofmerelyvain,succeedinginbalancingromanticoptimism,feministself-determination,andflickersofamuseddetachment. Spectacleandintimacyarelikewiseentwinedtostrikingeffect.Alavishstagesetsuggestinganoversizedlivingroomandthelushmusicalcolorationofafullorchestraevokegreatscale,yetthestarmeetsheraudiencealone,ahostessreadytoreminisce,meditate,ornakedlyemote.Herhitsarethere,ofcourse,butit'sthethematiccohesionandcollectiveemotionalpowerthatmakeStreisand'sone-womanshowatourdeforce.ItsfiveEmmyAwardsaremerelydeservedconfirmationthatthisisarareentertainmentindeed.--SamSutherland…