Susan Granger’s review of “Just Jim Dale” (Roundabout’s Laura Pels Theater – June, 2014)
If you’re looking for light-hearted, feel-good fun that’s geared to amuse – you can’t do better than Jim Dale’s 90-minute retrospective of his 64 years in show-business, making tuneful stops at “Barnum” (1980) – for which he won a Tony – and “Me and My Girl” (1986), including revealing that he wrote the Oscar-nominated title song for Lynn Redgrave’s “Georgy Girl” (1966).
Born in the “dead, dead, dead center of England,” Dale says his father worked in an iron foundry and his mother in as shoe factory. Beginning with his childhood introduction to British Music Hall tradition, he took dancing lessons, becoming the “Billy Elliot” of his neighborhood. Dale relates how is proper name was “Jim Smith” – until there was a typographical error on his contract, giving him the same surname as his agent. As Jim Dale, his career climbed steadily upwards – from pratfalls to curtain calls – with a brief stop as a pre-Beatles rock ‘n’ roll pop star. He first appeared on the American stage in 1973.
While they may not recognize him in person, Jim Dale’s voice is familiar to children as narrator of all seven Harry Potter books – and he relates a small section as Dobby the House Elf. Dale holds three Guinness World Records: one for creating 134 different character voices for “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” the second for 147 voices for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” and the third for occupying the first six places in the Top Ten Audio Books of America and Canada. Sadly, Dale never appeared in any of the Harry Potter movies, although, apparently, director Chris Columbus listened to his audiobooks for ideas as to what the characters should sound like.
Directed by Richard Maltby Jr., this musically punctuated autobiography is adroitly written and performed by Dale, accompanied by pianist Mark York. Dressed in belted trousers and a silk shirt, he cavorts around the stage like a teenager, belying his age of 78. And his comic timing is impeccable.
Rejoice in this summer romp!