In an old-fashioned book musical spanning several decades, the private and public life of beloved funny man Danny Kaye leaps off the Mercury stage and lands right in your face. It's the nonstop stamina, however, that becomes a problem and often overwhelms the audience in this production.
Known as television and film's triple-threat comedian from the mid 1940s to the early 1980s, the Brooklyn-born entertainer began his career in the Catskill theaters. But David Daniel Kaminsky, as he was then known, had greater aspirations than to be simply another Borscht Belt Jewish comic. After auditioning for Billy Rose, thanks in great part to Sylvia Fine, a pushy, no-nonsense accompanist who took a shine to him, David began his rise to fame.
With his hair lightened and his named changed to Danny Kaye, he was cast by Moss Hart in a small comic role in the new Broadway musical, "Lady in the Dark." In it he upstaged the star, Gertrude Lawrence, with his tongue-twisting patter song, "Tchaikovsky." From this point on, with Sylvia writing his material, arranging his auditions and meetings and even negotiating contracts for him, the sky became the limit for Danny Kaye. Eventually they wed and had a daughter, but married life was anything but bliss. With Sylvia constantly pushing and manipulating him and with Kaye's inflated ego, his demanding work schedule and his desire to be wanted, their family life suffered. Fear not, however: the musical does end on a positive note.
Brian Childers absolutely IS Danny Kaye, from his styled red hair, to the timbre of his voice, to all the affected mannerisms, posturing and prancing about that made Kaye such an recognizable star. Childers' singing and dancing talents are unquestionably strong as is his command of the material and, indeed, the entire stage. But therein lies the problem: Childers (and this musical) never slows down enough for us to catch our breath and take in what we've experienced.
There's a definite need for some contrast or some quieter moments. The show hits the road running and never stops bombarding us with unrelenting comic schtick and music that is much too loudly amplified to be appreciated. Between Mr. Childers and Karin Leone, who certainly holds her own as Sylvia, a character who could be related to "Gypsy's" Mama Rose, there are simply too few genuine, tender glimpses into their lives. It makes it difficult for us to care about them.
Talented Christina Purcell and Adam LeBow portray everyone else in this show, a myriad of celebrities and civilians, including Eve Arden, Kitty Carlisle, Gertrude Lawrence, Vivien Leigh, Billy Rose, Moss Hart, Laurence Olivier and Ira Gershwin, to name just a few, and they do so with style and skill. They're wonderfully enabled by Shon LeBlanc's stylish costumes and Howard Leonard's and Rick Burns' period hairpieces. But one wonders if there isn't also some unsung hero offstage providing hits of oxygen to the actors as they exit into the wings for their very quick changes. They seem to need it.
This show remains a fascinating look at the world of show business and specifically at a comedian the world came to love, but only really knew through his stage, screen and TV personae. However, without an opportunity to absorb what we've seen, the evening simply soars by like a frenzied variety show offering very little substance.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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