Chevalier Maurice & Me
@ The Cutler Majestic Theatre
Boston April 27, 2005
by Matthew Robinson
In his one man show, “Maurice & Me,” international singing star Tony Sandler (half of the smash singing duo Sandler and Young) convincingly takes on the guise of another of the world¹s most beloved entertainers. Through the songs of French and American hit-makers like Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern, Sandler punctuates the story of a man who, like Sandler himself, came from humble Belgian beginnings and made his way around the world on wings of music.
“To tell the story of Maurice Chevalier is to tell the story of legendand an era” Sandler suggests in his opening monologue. And, inspired by their meeting at The Dunes hotel in Las Vegas over 40 years ago (where Sandler was starring in the famed Casino de Paris revue- the same venue where Chevalier had gotten his start), Sandler tells both stories quite well. Backed by a five-piece band, a vase of roses, the occasional projected silhouette of Paris, and Chevalier¹s signature skimmer and cane, Sandler slides so seamlessly between first- and third-person, French and English, happy and sad, funny and profound, that it is often difficult to determine whose role he has taken on. More a narrative concert than a play, “Maurice & Me” is still theatrical in its presentation, as Sandler strides and soft shoes across the stage, using his cap and cane to mark the transformation into his beloved inspiration. The story is not always as bright as Sandler¹s charming smile, but even when it turns dark (as when he is betrayed by his own countrymen after WW II), Sandler flashes his twinkling smile and releases the tension with a pleasant anecdote or clever bon mot.
Musically, the show ranges from the peppy “When You¹re Smiling” to the bouncy love song “Valentine” (which, though untranslated, still came across big and round) to the stroboscopic “Wait Till You See Ma Cherie” and an especially tender take on Leo Robin¹s “Louise.” Recollections of Chevalier¹s affairs with Marlene Dietrich introduce a third language into the story when Sandler washes his resonant voice through a sad “Lili Marleen,” but the royal command performance of “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” raises the spirits of the show once again, sending the audience home humming.
Though Chevalier may be a legend of another era, Sandler makes his musical story matter in the present day. “Maurice & Me” is an educational and entertaining biografie of a man who gave his life to his public, even when they misunderstood, rejected and scorned him. It is a story of triumph and of the power of music that works for Francofile and Yankee alike.
“Chevalier – Maurice & Me” runs through May 1, 2005. For tickets, go to www.maj.org.