Who’s Your Daddy?
At the risk of becoming the last call critic, I saw Johnny O’Callaghan’s wildly successful one-man show now extended through February 19 at the Victory Theatre in Burbank. It’s difficult to ignore any show that has earned almost unanimous acclaim. Yet, there’s a danger in reviewing a show preceded by a lot of positive buzz. Part of you has to squelch the temptation of raking it over the coals and the other part wonders if all the hoopla is justified. In this case, I believe it is.
Much of its success is due to the charming star himself, a likable bloke, flitting and flirting with the audience while playing multiple characters, none that are quite as interesting as he is. Which leads to the second, bordering on incredulous selling point: its truth.
Fantastic as it may seem, O’Callaghan’s autobiographical story follows his highs and lows as a struggling actor in Hollywood to an impromptu trip to Africa. There, he meets a three-year-old orphan and against all odds, decides to adopt the boy with an Ireland-shaped birthmark in his eye. Following his intuition means having to convince everyone his intentions are pure. Beyond the red tape keeping a single man from adoption, cultural obstacles and a salty, brashly bigoted family back on the green isle, O’Callaghan’s faith and dogged determination leads him through uncharted waters and makes for a satisfying adventure of the heart.
If this sounds too good to be true, O’Callaghan smartly imbues the piece with enough grit about his personal escapades to roughen the tale into a polished pearl. His less-than-squeaky clean image before his life-altering trip to Africa provides enough arc to keep the story interesting. It also raises the stakes believably as he nears the endless campaign of securing his son only to run headlong into rejection for various unscrupulous reasons. It has a happy conclusion, but O’Callaghan makes the audiences earn it, which speaks to his wit as much as it does his expressive performance.
True stories are inherently attention grabbing but they do run a risk of not being well structured. Life rarely falls into neat little acts and smooth transitions. It’s messy, incongruent and sometimes downright specious in its whimsical serendipity. To translate truth, usually one must take liberal licenses or forego Aristotelian kind of form to convey it properly.
In this, O’Callaghan’s story suffers only slightly as he nears the end of his trailblazing journey. Just when all seems well and fine, yet another challenge presents itself right when the play seems to be at its natural end. Director Tom Ormeny does much to push through this last loose string of storyline as O’Callaghan energetic delivery becomes even more frenzied in tandem with his fierce persistence. Still, there’s a momentary adjustment as the audience goes, “Oh wait! There’s more?” Thankfully, this reaction isn’t unduly excessive and points more to the truth rather than the fiction writers are able to conform. The machinations are genuinely missing because O’Callaghan’s fervent desire overwhelms the structure, which is its strongest attribute.
The incredible personal story plays well within the intimate space, allowing O’Callaghan to engage the audience with an impish wink and broad smile. He’s thrilled to share his journey and this sincere happiness is palpable and infectious. It’s a show you want to hang around after, meet his now older son Odin, and grab a pint o’ Guinness with an actor who leaves you feeling as though you’re a part of his family. That’s solid reason enough why this play is still so popular.
Simple but effective set design by Lucan Melkonian and subtle lighting design by Carol Doehring offers a pleasant atmosphere accompanied by Rob Corn’s sound design, particularly the rousing opening of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
“Who’s Your Daddy?”
Runs through Feb 19
Fri & Sat at 8pm
Sundays at 4pm
Tickets: $24-$34
The Little Victory Theatre
3326 W. Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
PH: 818-841-5422
www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org