Just Jim Dale

Presumably, anyone venturing to Roundabout Theatre Company’s Laura Pels Theatre to see Just Jim Dale is in the market for an evening of Jim Dale, the whole Jim Dale, and nothing but Jim Dale. Luckily, Jim Dale — who saves all his hyperbole for the show itself — is not one to disappoint. An interest in the life and career of the man stage left, right, and center, is a certainly a helpful prerequisite for audiences hoping to enjoy his stroll down memory lane. Yet, even for those unfamiliar with Dale’s diverse theatrical tenure will be hard-pressed not to indulge in the old-fashioned entertainer’s winning British charm. The Laura Pels provides an unconventional environment for a show that feels better suited for a weekend engagement at a cabaret club than a two-month run in a full-size proscenium theater. Luckily, Dale’s radiant joy for being onstage warms the expansive room as if we were all gathered around his living room fireplace rather than staring at a bare stage with a simple backdrop and piano (set design by Anna Louizos). The piano is occupied by talented accompanist Mark York, who offers Dale some company while enjoying the show himself with an infectious glee that adds to the cheerful, relaxed mood emanating throughout the theater.