Critics have tried time and again to kill old-fashioned, punchline-laden boulevard comedy, but audiences end up having the last laugh—literally. Even the most familiar jokes and situations, if handled snappily, can make for a pleasing night of relaxed entertainment. Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna, together personally and professionally for almost four decades, know the turf and load their autobiographical retrospective with crowd-pleasing turns, from Renee as a nervous auditioning actress to the duo as geezers embarking on a one-night stand (which, of course, ends in back trouble, heart palpitations, and snoozing).
A weak bit from the recent Bermuda Avenue Triangle and an embarrassingly kitschy finale take their toll on the evening's second hour. By then it's also clear that although Joe can zing home a retort, his stagey acting lacks Renee's natural aplomb. If You Ever Leave Me, I’m Going with You is at its best when she's center stage or when the two are sharing their real home movies, which genuinely prove the "funny because it's true" adage.
