Israeli Star Struts His Stage Stuff

Never on Friday
DIRECTOR: Ran Avni.
CAST: David 'Dudu" Fisher.
WHERE: Jewish Repertory Theatre, Playhouse 91,
316 East 91st St. Telephone: (212)831-2000

by Jeanne Lieberman

DAVID "Dudu" Fisher is the Israeli singing star best known here for refusing to perform on the Jewish Sabbath while he was starring as Jean Valjean in Broadway's Les Miserables. Though many in the audience came expecting Israeli songs, Dudu -whose nickname is accepted as a term of endearment everywhere but here, where it has another less fortunate connotation - is intent on showing off both his love of our culture and a remarkable stylistic range from one who has studied opera and fallen in love with Broadway. Peppered with biographical anecdotes, Dudu opened with a couple of cherished Jewish songs, aimed directly at the heartstrings of his audience, and established his Yiddish roots early in the program. But he soon departed with a surprisingly good imitation of Elvis, which later, in his ubiquitous manner, spring boarded into a Yiddish version of Rossini's (nee Rosenkrantz) "Barber of Seville." A self-confessed "maven of musicals," Dudu offers an autobiographical evening that is liberally highlighted with recognizable Broadway melodies, but in an inventive, highly entertaining and impressive feat he merged traditional Hebrew prayers with the music of Evita, West Side Story, Cats, Les Miz and others in an ingenious arrangement one might fear sacrilegious from someone less observant. (He reassured the house he checked with a rabbi - albeit a Reform rabbi.) In a wonderful, unrehearsed showbiz moment, his microphone went dead and, after ad-libbing coolly, he launched into a Capella rendition of "0 Sole Mio," which was magical. But it is in his original calling, as a cantor, that he really shines. Cleverly couched in retelling of his preoccupation with an imminent audition for Les Miz while rehearsing for the High Holy Days, his cantorialization of the solemn Yom Kippur prayer, Kol Nidrei, is a moment of stunning beauty. The evening, under occasionally questionable music direction, is a veritable smorgasbord of international selections. In our rich and diverse culture we have all heard the original as well as an abundance of Elvis and Sinatra impersonators (Mr. Fisher concludes his evening with Mr. Sinatra's "My Way," adding "Never On Friday") and can access the Three Tenors at any time, but the attraction here for Americans is that Dudu is one of Israel's top performers. As such, he leaves us in true show-business style, wanting more - but make it Israeli

"NEW YORK LAW JOURNAL" - Friday, April 30, 1999