Fyvush Finkel Live!

Fyvush Finkel Live presented by Folksbiene, at The Baruch Performing Arts Center, a look back at the life and long career of this ancient comedic warrior, is a variety show -- an evening of Yiddish nostalgia with song, dance, jokes, sketches, and a sprinkling of Finkel's performing history from age fourteen to eighty-eight. With his musical sons pianist Elliot (fastest fingers in the west) and Ion (xylophone virtuoso) fronting the band and doing zippy turns, comedian Merwin Goldsmith outstanding in many roles, the amazing June Gable, dancer, singer, woman of many characters - each clear, different and all funny, the evening, filled with show-business stories told by the old, but still impish Fyvush, is good natured, sweet, sentimental and very funny.

Zanily costumed by Izzy Fields, directed with style by Motl Didner, filled with characters, caricatures and vaudeville shtick, Fyvush Finkel Live! is a toe-tapper and a smiler with lots of laughs. A great time was had by all.