Review Roundup: JOSEPHINE AND I Opens at the Public

The Public Theater officially opens the New York premiere of JOSEPHINE AND I tonight, March 10. Written by Olivier nominated actress and writer Cush Jumbo, and directed by Phyllida Lloyd, JOSEPHINE AND I began previews on Friday, March 27 and runs through Sunday, April 5 at Joe's Pub at The Public.

Following a critically acclaimed run at London's Bush Theatre, Jumbo (The River, Julius Caesar, "Getting On") brings her one-woman show to The Public. Born into poverty in the slums of St. Louis, Josephine Baker became one of the most famous and groundbreaking stars of the 20th century. The first African-American performer to rise to international prominence, she was a French Resistance spy and civil rights activist who was married twice by age 16 and served as muse to Pablo Picasso, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, who called her "the most sensational woman anyone ever saw."

Now, nearly 40 years after her death, Baker's life inspires a young woman to face up to the sacrifices required to follow one's dreams.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Ben Brantley, The New York Times: When Cush Jumbo says she has fire inside her, you have no reason to doubt it. Portraying both title characters in "Josephine and I"...Ms. Jumbo projects the kind of five-alarm charm that threatens to set rooms ablaze...this British actress radiates that unquantifiable force of hunger, drive and talent usually called star power. And as wielded by Ms. Jumbo, it removes the last chill from this overextended winter...The show proceeds as a point-counterpoint portrait of two lives, showing how much and how little has changed for stardom-seeking performers who are black and, almost as important, female. What we learn intellectually from these twinned stories about the persistence of cultural prejudice is enlightening, sobering and sadly unsurprising. What we feel in our guts, though, about the visceral connections between the Girl and Baker illuminates in deeper ways. When the Girl transforms herself into Baker, it's with a bone-deep verisimilitude that transcends mere mimicry, the kind only obsession can inspire.

Adam Feldman, Time Out NY: Though her singing voice isn't much like Baker's, and her historical exposition can be clunky, Jumbo is a talented performer whose admiration for her fascinating subject is infectious. The Baker story is continually interrupted, however, by a less compelling metatheatrical parallel narrative, in which Jumbo plays a frazzled English woman facing trials as an actor and woman of color. Presented as spontaneous, this "I" thread feels artificial­-it's a composite version of personal experience-and the piece as a whole is tinged with solo-show self-consciousness. It's impressive but earnest, and its final turn into uplift suggests a child sitting solemnly on someone else's shoulders.

Joe Dziemianowicz, New York Daily News: The roles take up roughly the same amount of time, but they're not equally fascinating. It makes for an overlong and uneven production that's directed by Phyllida Lloyd ("Mamma Mia!")...Baker's life is a dramatic gold mine...It's all in the show - and that's a lot. Jumbo's experiences with creepy costars and casting agents are potent reminders of the persistence of prejudice...A haunting version of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" ends the show. "Josephine and I" could benefit from alterations of its own - more "Josephine" and less "I."

Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Post: Zippily directed by Phyllida Lloyd ("Mamma Mia!"), "Josephine and I" alternates between a retelling of Baker's story...and digressions that may or may not be autobiographical...References to Jumbo's own career blur the line between the girl and herself, but that confusion is very entertaining because it keeps you guessing. Touchier are the parallels Jumbo draws between Baker's path and her own: Overcoming poverty and segregation, as Baker did, was just a tad more challenging than being asked to put on an "urban" accent at a call-back. Fortunately, Jumbo's a charismatic and likable performer who commandeers Joe's Pub's small stage, especially when performing Baker's signature numbers - her rendition of "J'ai Deux Amours," in French, is especially touching. By the end, it's easy to overlook the occasional lapses in perspective because Jumbo's tribute is clearly rooted in genuine admiration and affection. There's no better way to keep Baker alive.

Check back in the AM for updates!

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

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