JAY JOHNSON : The Two and Only

From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com

Subject: Quicktake - "Jay Johnson: The Two and Only" by Jay Johnson

Date: Thur, July 13, 10:52 PM

Quicktake on JAY JOHNSON: THE TWO AND ONLY

     Jay Johnson's solo show "The Two and Only" is a rather unique exercise. On the one hand, it's the basic small-town American breaks into show-business success story. On the other it's an almost Absurdist peek into the mindset of a ventriloquist, that species of puppeteers whose childhood imaginary friends grow up to be their performing partners. Johnson, along with his directors Murphy Cross and Paul Kreppel, has created a script which includes the history of the art of ventriloquism from its presumed roots in necromancy, his career including the stint on T.V.'s "Soap" and his relationship to his mentor Art Sieving, and a strong sampling of routines with various puppets, including Nethermore the Vulture, a sock puppet snake, a rowdy monkey, and his original partner, Skippy. Bob, from the TV show appears of course, but seems much less relevant, less a partner than a confrontation. As the pieces fall into place, Johnson's life so far has a kind of completeness.

     The show has an interesting set design by Beowulf Boritt, whose work was recently seen on Broadway for "The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee." It's various ingenious features are only fully revealed by the end along with Cliff Taylor's lighting design. Suffice it to say that again seemingly incidental ideas achieve resonance as the performance progresses. Johnson's voice characterizations are subtle when need be, but it's his careful puppetry that makes him, along with other current performers such as Jeff Dunham and Ronn Lucas, a master of this form. He's spent most of his career on the nightclub and college circuit, so his rapport with the audience is earnest and easy. He's there to share. Behind the eternal kid with a dummy there's an interesting worldview.

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"Jay Johnson: The Two and Only" by Jay Johnson, July 12 - Aug. 6

ART at Zero Arrow Theatre

Arrow St. & Mass. Ave., Harvard Sq.(617) 547 - 8300
A.R.T.