Josephine: A Burlesque Cabaret Dream Play NYC Reviews and Tickets

"Harris, a skillful performer, offers a pretty fair version of that banana dance and capably handles a song list...Still, Baker was a far more complicated woman than the show presents...'Josephine' has definite audience-pleasing aspects, including a couple of sequences in which she enlists audience members as lovers or fans, but its elaborate title seems to hint at broader, as-yet-unrealized, ambitions...Currently, 'Josephine' works best as a brief introduction to its subject."
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“Subtitled ‘a burlesque cabaret dream play,’ ‘Josephine’ is more. It is a full-fledged musical with grit, sex, color and ebullient dancing, all supplied by the remarkable Tymisha Harris who gushes with love and truth about her subject, the legendary Josephine Baker...The main event, however, is the performance of Harris who doesn't just imitate Baker but uses her own gifts to illuminate she returns the favor with her vivid singing, unabashed dancing and direct connection with the audience.”
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"A story made for show business...It is the show's eye-catching star, Harris, who evokes Josephine's look and provocative spirit...Harris puts all she has into rounding out the sketchy portrait of Josephine, intensely emotional and farcically comical. With a husky, expressive voice, blithe nudity and a captivating demeanor, she reaches into the audience, flirting with both men and women...Much more can and has been written about Josephine Baker than this 75-minute piece."
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"They mostly succeed in telling the thrilling details of her life story...The only thing missing to this presentation is a more refined production, which could turn this fun play into something far more powerful and electric...Harris as Josephine is delicious and layered...I only wish in her edgy and energetic performance that she would slow down a bit...The script is also in need of some tightening in order to bring the greater umbrella of meaning to a sharper focus."
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"Harris brings Baker to life with an exhilarating energy that flies off the stage and into the audience. Part of that continuance from stage to audience, has to do with the Marinaccio’s direction and book writer/musical director Kimbro. All three of these multi-talented artists created the show 'Josephine Baker'...Through Ms. Harris’s emotionally stirring performance, we see the woman who captured countless lovers, 5 husbands, and adopted a tribe of 12 rainbow children."
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"Harris is attractive and full of personality. She’s beautifully dressed, moves well, and sings with feeling...You won’t gain any insight into the artist and omissions run in Baker’s favor, but presented facts are, at least, facts...Intermittent, Fanny Brice-like mugging does neither Baker nor the show any favors...The play is not without entertainment value if you lower your standards and know little or nothing about Baker. Its parts simply don’t make a polished whole."
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"With self-effacing good humor, Harris recounts the story behind Baker's numerous husbands and lovers...Harris becomes serious when the story turns to Baker's activism in the Civil Rights Movement. Her interpretation of...'The Times They Are A Changin' is breathtaking...Harris's rich and powerful voice is far superior to Baker's...She's also sexy in a way that's most probably far more effective for modern audiences. One likes to think Baker would have respected...and appreciated the tribute."
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"Harris meticulously crafted a performance that makes her voice, body, and overall person scream, 'Josephine!', which in others words means, 'Star!'...Harris is literally gold on stage. She is incredibly charming and sweet...Harris makes you laugh, cry, get angry, and get protective over Baker. She uses music and dance only to further the spiritual highness of Josephine, as a human being whom uncannily brought joy from her desire to absorb it."
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"Harris has singing and dancing chops galore...Harris plays Baker mostly with a breathless urgency and an underlay of naivete. The interpretation is a valid actor's choice, but a few more layers of depth would not go amiss...Her rendition of 'The Times They Are A-Changin'...was masterful and memorable...A worthy piece of theater. It's a solid, entertaining production. With a few refinements it could be considerably more than it is, and that would be très magnifique."
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"Probably the closest to an evening with Josephine Baker as one will ever experience...What makes this telling of the story so powerful is that Harris can act, sing, and dance. Because she is a world-class triple-threat, Harris brings Baker back for us...She is riveting...Through all of this, Harris is almost perfectly in the moment every moment...I suspect Baker would be pleased with her portrayal and very proud of the younger performer."
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"If you enjoy smart, quality burlesque, you should go see 'Josephine'...The triple threat actress Tymisha Harris brings back true star power in her solo show...Tymisha’s vocals are smooth and rich, her dance is sensually athletic yet authentic to the time period, and she brings a joy and innocent courage to this firecracker woman...Truly a show of what a small multi-hyphenate team can accomplish."
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“To play a woman that fabulous requires one mesmerizing performer. In Tymisha Harris, the engaging, involving ‘Josephine’ has just that…She’s an expressive dancer and a strong, emotional singer...Her greatest strength is her ability to convey the mix of nervousness and fearlessness that fueled Baker’s life…The cabaret concept is one of the show’s strongest elements…Kimbro’s script is a fully realized story, though I would have liked a few more concrete details added to the mix.”
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“Harris is a magnetic performer, strong singer and high-powered dancer, who brings to life Baker’s trademark African banana dance, as well as numerous 20th century hit songs by Billie Holiday and others...Harris’ script is faithful to facts, but it still bears the marks of a work in progress and could use some tightening. Baker was free with her body, and so is Harris, who performs a portion of the show in a G-string and pasties, so it has an NC-17 rating."
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“Harris makes the audience feel Baker’s pain and pride at every turn, both through songs and heartfelt soliloquies. Director Marinaccio showcases Harris’s talents to a T…Under Marinaccio’s direction she gets to demonstrate her considerable acting chops as well, digging deep into the sadness beneath Baker’s sunny showbiz exterior.“
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“The source material is fascinating...Beyond the biography, we're also given thought-provoking commentary about racism and how black women's bodies are consumed as entertainment: ideas as relevant today as they were in 1926. Harris' performance is a tour de force. Not only can this gal sing, her burlesque numbers are captivating and her dalliances with audience participation are perfection…A triumphant homage to a life worth remembering. Go see this one.”
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"At the heart of the story is a complex, unapologetic woman who exhibits her sexuality on her own terms…Harris tantalizes the audience with song, dance, and feathers. Tunes like ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘La Vie en Rose’ intermix with onstage costume changes, a bit of casual dialogue, and — of course — the sultry dance moves of the burlesque icon.”
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“'Josephine' is this year’s must-see Fringe show simply because, for an hour, the audience is treated to the haunting voice and commanding presence of Tymisha Harris...Billed as a ‘burlesque cabaret dream play,’ ‘Josephine’ is much more than that, rising to the top of its form under the skilled direction of Marinaccio and a smart, well-balanced script by Kimbro. Sunday night’s crowd gave Harris a rousing standing ovation, which I’m sure will be one of many."
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