Humperdinck offers solid show at Broadway Theatre

Joe Delaney

Friday, July 20, 2001 | 9:15 a.m.

Engelbert Humperdinck is intent on having a good time this week in New York-New York's Broadway Theatre, and a just-short-of-being-full house had a good time with him at the show caught. His loyal fan club was on hand down front, as always, and it gathered at the edge of the stage at the finale.

Dressed in a long, black coat, black tie, white shirt and black trousers, his entrance struck a somber note. Add a black cowboy hat and you'd have Johnny Cash. This mood was soon dispelled with a rousing version of "Brazil." Eddie Tobin is Humperdinck's conductor, keyboard specialist and comedy foil, really an entertainer in his own right.

Tobin's six musical stalwarts are outstanding soloists as well as ensemble players. At the 55-minute mark, the septet was given a chance to solo and stretch out on "Great Balls Of Fire," joined by two superb backup singers, Anita Sherman and Jessica Williams.

"The Way It Used To Be," "It's All In The Game," title song of a new CD release, led to "Lonely is a Man Without Love," with the audience joining in. "This Guy's in Love With You" set a gentle mood, suddenly broken by a short burst of Humperdinck rap and some all-out rock 'n' roll with "Ain't Nothing That Just a Little Love Won't Cure."

It was "time for a tipple," a short libation, and the Lone Ranger story, strong but everyone handled it well. "Quando, Quando, Quando," "Too Young," a Charles Aznavour composition, "She," and the show got loose as Tobin finished Humperdinck's story about being 17 years of age.

This night's impressions were Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Elvis Presley, the last named a spoof until Humperdinck finished with a bit of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." "Great Balls Of Fire" came at this point, then it was "After the Loving," "I Want To Wake Up With You," and "How Slow We Go," a new song co-written by his daughter, Louise.

The fan club was at the edge of the stage for "The Last Waltz" and "Please Release Me" while the rest of the audience made it a happy sing-along. It was a fun 90 minutes or so.

Minor negatives: Absent the coat and tie, Humperdinck's 65-year-old waistline became a little too evident. Sound in the room was ideal throughout but Humperdinck was having a siege because he couldn't seem to get enough volume in his ear monitor.