Sophie Tucker’s theme song, “Some of These Days,” by Shelton Brooks, is one of the milestones the legendary performer credited to her best friend, Mollie Elkins, her African American maid. After being coerced into listening to the song, said Tucker, she knew it was a song that would be remembered through the years. Just as this song became identified with Sophie Tucker, so did a certain attitude.
Cheryl Ann Allen, in her show, Sophie Tucker in Person at Don’t Tell Mama, takes care to bring the spirit of the vaudeville era, on and off the stage, and reveal the tenaciousness of the iconic Sophie Tucker. Dressed and speaking in the first person as Tucker, she recalls Tucker’s inimitable, emphatic renditions of songs like the sentimental “My Yiddishe Mama” (Lou Pollack and Jack Yellen) and “After You’ve Gone” (Henry Creamer and J. Turner Layton). She opens and closes with “Some of These Days,” a shrewd choice, indicating that future audiences may also appreciate her talent. The show was carefully arranged by Ian Finkel, with Allen delivering just enough biographical patter to bring about the following song and why Tucker sang it.
Allen’s emphasis was revealing the impetus behind this performer who chose to make a life alone much of the time. Allen was convincing with her delivery of “I’m Living Alone and I Like It.” The songs ring through with truth.
Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
April 28, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org
