Mike Burstyn and Mal Z. Lawrence offered up an evening of lively Jewish-oriented music and comedy that clearly delighted audience members at Skokie’s North Shore Center. Burstyn performed tunes from his leading Broadway roles. “In My Own Lifetime” from The Rothschilds was particularly effective. Burstyn , born in the Bronx, but now an Israeli citizen, touched the audience with his version of “Jerusalem, City of Gold,” which combines both Hebrew an English lyrics. Mal Z. Lawrence is a hilarious comedian who also happens to sing beautifully. His comic timing is excellent and his mainly deadpan delivery makes the comedy all the funnier. His Yiddish-peppered comedy is grown-up but not unacceptably dirty. When Lawrence explained the dining environment at a Catskills resort as causing the condition “anorexia Ponderosa,” it brought down the house. Describing horseradish as Jewish cocaine is hilarious. While Lawrence tells grand tales of the Borscht Belt heyday, Burstyn speaks mainly of his Broadway successes. Important singers such as Perry Como and Eddie Fisher made their bones in the Catskill resorts and vocalist Burstyn might explore that as well. All in all, A Night In the Catskills was a grand night of music and comedy. Side of sour cream, anyone?
Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
April 17, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org
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