“˜Smokey Joe’s Cafe’ takes audience back to the past

  Troika Entertainment "Smokey Joe’s Cafe," starring
Gladys Knight (center), opened last Wednesday at
the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills.

By Andrea Dingman
Daily Bruin Contributor

Going to see the musical “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,”
which features the hits of the legendary songwriting team of the
’50s and ’60s, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, is like
taking a trip back in time.

Starring diva Gladys Knight, “Cafe” opened Tuesday
at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, and will be in town for
only eight performances, through this coming Sunday.

The show features many sing-along hits, such as “On
Broadway,” “Yakety Yak,” “Hound Dog”
and “Stand By Me,” performed by an ensemble cast that
sings together or provides backup vocals for solo songs.

Unfortunately, while “Cafe” is entertaining and
energetic, there is no plot to go along with all of these hit
songs. The result is a performance that seems more like a concert
than a musical.

Knight shines on each of the songs she headlines. Beginning with
“Falling,” she has the audience in the palm of her hand
as she ends the soulful ballad with a giggle.

In “Dance with Me,” Knight also commands the stage.
The song begins with the male singers, in a gentle, smooth style,
and ends by Knight taking over aggressively, grabbing each of the
frightened men and entreating them to hold her and kiss her.

Later, Knight sings a duet of the song “Love
Me/Don’t” with Eric Henderson, in which the two gaze
tenderly at each other across a diner table without coming across
as sickeningly sweet. Without being overly dominant, Knight makes
each line matter as she sings it to Henderson.

“I’m a Woman,” in which Knight is joined by
Danette E. Sheppard, Christina L. Ames and Jessica Palmer, adds a
new dimension to “Cafe,” making it both comical and
inspiring. Each vocalist sings a verse, providing her own spin on
the empowering song that promotes the ability of women to do more
than one thing at a time. According to the song, women are skilled
because they can wash dishes and do their hair at the same
time.

Knight, however, doesn’t entirely blow the audience away
until “I Who Have Nothing.” Clad in a dramatic black
evening gown, she doesn’t even finish belting out the
heartbreaking ballad before the audience begins to cheer.

Other members of the ensemble also deserve praise for adding
youthful energy and contrast to Knight.

Deanna Greene, for instance, steals the show with “Don
Juan,” a blunt solo in which she says goodbye to her
now-broke lover, singing “cause when your money’s gone,
your baby’s gone.” Greene plays off of the audience and
uses a huge burgundy boa to make the piece unforgettable.

Greene later wows the audience again in “Some Cats
Know,” a song which describes the difference between men who
are sensitive lovers and men who aim to please themselves. Without
even moving from her stool, she gives a powerful performance, never
going over the top.

Jessica Palmer, on the other hand, tries too hard on “I
Keep Forgettin'” but manages to hit the mark on
“Pearl’s a Singer.” The slow ballad about a jazz
singer showcases Palmer’s lyrical ability. Unfortunately, at
the end of the song she returns to her jerky style and goes into
overkill.

Though the women are often stronger performers, the male cast
members also deserve recognition, particularly Eric Henderson.
Besides the aforementioned duet with Knight, Henderson’s rich
tenor voice rings on “There Goes My Baby” and
“Love Potion #9.” Backed up by fellow vocalists Michael
B. Hammond, Casey Johnson, Neil I.B. Taffe and Bubba Knight, the
quintet dances doo-wop style in perfect unison during these
numbers.

Kept in its original style, “Cafe” features costumes
that help take the audience back in time. During the song “On
Broadway,” for instance, Henderson, Taffe, Knight, and
Hammond sport silver zoot suits with hot pink oxford shirts and
dance in the same period style.

Audiences will enjoy the stroll down memory lane, inspired to
clap along and applaud for nearly every piece. For younger audience
members who don’t have memories of the era,
“Cafe” is entertaining nonetheless, providing a picture
of what life may have been like back in the day.

THEATER: “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”
is showing at the Wilshire Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., through
June 3. Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 p.m. and 8
p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. For more
information call (213) 365-3500.