Satchmo at the Waldorf
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Cititour.com Review
The solo bioplay is usually more successful as a vehicle for a great performer than as a wholly satisfying theatrical experience, and that’s definitely the case with “Satchmo at the Waldorf,” now making its New York premiere at the Westside Theatre. While playwright Terry Teachout (best known as the theater critic for “The Wall Street Journal”) paints a sometimes intriguing if rather superficial portrait of the great jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong, even the weakest moments of his too-repetitive script are brilliantly served by actor John Douglas Thompson.
The show begins as Armstrong enters his enormous dressing room at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel (superbly designed by Lee Savage), just four months before his death in 1971, and begins talking to the audience. Immediately, Teachout lets us know we’re not just going to see the happy-go-lucky entertainer remembered by his fans. Armstrong not only has what one might call a “potty mouth” (to put it mildly), but throughout the show’s 90 minutes, he is often angry about the seeming injustices of his career – most specifically, his complex relationship with his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, an associate of gangster Al Capone who guided Armstrong’s career for over 35 years.
There’s less “dish” here than one might expect, although Armstrong does point out that his good friend Bing Crosby never invited him over to his house, and that he forgot the words to “Hello, Dolly” (a song he didn’t really like) the first time he was asked to play it in public. We do hear, however, about his poor upbringing in New Orleans and some kind words about Armstrong’s fourth (and final) wife Lucille.
Under Gordon Edelstein’s astute direction, Thompson doesn’t do a spot-on imitation of Armstrong, but consistently evokes his mannerisms. More importantly, he delves down deep to summon the disparity between the public and private Armstrong. Just as impressive is how effortlessly and quickly Thompson switches between Armstrong and Glaser (who is a surprisingly major character in the show). Moreover, Thompson is also called on to also play a couple of other characters, notably the great trumpeter Miles Davis (who is completely dismissive of Armstrong’s pandering to white audiences) and does so with remarkable aplomb. It’s the kind of performance that deserves a standing ovation, and will likely get one every night.
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://satchmonyc.com
Cast
John Douglas Thompson
Open/Close Dates
Opening 3/4/2014
Closing 6/29/2014
Preview Open/ Preview Close Dates
Preview Opening 2/15/2014
Closing Open-ended
Box Office
212-239-6200
Theatre Info
Westside Theatre
407 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
Map
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