Ha ha ha indeed! Mercurial comedic sprite, old school but with the youthful glee of a young kid cutting school to go to the circus, jolly jokester Joan Jaffe is a joy. No comedy is too broad if it might engender a broad smile, and no joke or song is too old for the broad vaudevillian good old days. Singing Murray Grand’s glib damn-it-all carpe diem delight, “Too Old to Die Young,” she could make an audience die laughing without seemingly trying. Such is his mastery of mischievous shtick. Though her show’s cutely titled NYC theme let her entertainingly recall her early days (e.g., auditioning decades ago as a Broadway show-to-show “gypsy” and literally playing a gypsy in Bajour). Singing straight with vocal heft is not her strong suit, so choosing too-familiar numbers about the city isn’t as strong. I suspect she’d be more effective not with those “usual suspects,” but with original or more obscure material. Still, she’s endearing and in the moment, taking and giving pleasure in many moments big and small. Asking her simpatico and versatile pianist, the veteran Jerry Scott, to autograph photos of her is just one nutty notion. She also gives him a spotlight serious virtuoso solo, impressive even while out of character with the act. And who would want to skip seeing her skipping through the eyebrow-raising, spirits-raising quaint novelty song titled “How Could Red Riding Hood Have Been So Very Good?” Joan Jaffe has her own basket of goodies and charms.

Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
October 9, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org