In her winning solo piece “Josephine and I,” Cush Jumbo recounts how, as a child in Britain, she discovered an unlikely role model in Josephine Baker, the American-born entertainer who was the toast of 1930s Paris.
Unlikely because, while Baker was the epitome of song-and-dance showmanship, Jumbo’s known for weightier stuff — playing Mark Antony in an all-female “Julius Caesar,” or appearing opposite Hugh Jackman in the drama “The River.”
But Jumbo — daughter of a Nigerian father and a British mother — recalls the sense of instant connection she felt as a little girl watching Baker in the half-forgotten 1934 French movie “Zou-Zou”: At last there was a star who looked like her.
Zippily directed by Phyllida Lloyd (“Mamma Mia!”), “Josephine and I” alternates between a retelling of Baker’s story — complete with songs backed by pianist Joseph Atkins — and digressions that may or may not be autobiographical. Jumbo juxtaposes Baker’s struggles with that of a present-day actress (identified as “the girl”) juggling a relationship and a possible Hollywood contract. References to Jumbo’s own career blur the line between the girl and herself, but that confusion is very entertaining because it keeps you guessing.
Touchier are the parallels Jumbo draws between Baker’s path and her own: Overcoming poverty and segregation, as Baker did, was just a tad more challenging than being asked to put on an “urban” accent at a call-back.
Fortunately, Jumbo’s a charismatic and likable performer who commandeers Joe’s Pub’s small stage, especially when performing Baker’s signature numbers — her rendition of “J’ai Deux Amours,” in French, is especially touching.
By the end, it’s easy to overlook the occasional lapses in perspective because Jumbo’s tribute is clearly rooted in genuine admiration and affection. There’s no better way to keep Baker alive.