J. Elijah Cho in Mr. Yunioshi. Photo by Rob Slaven.
Who knew how many people would remember Mickey Rooney? Child star turned adult character actor, Rooney first appeared on the vaudeville stage before he turned two. In his lifetime, he appeared in over 300 films, was nominated for four Oscars, and won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for playing the title character in “Bill,” a 1981 television mini-series. Most of the audience at 1st Stage seemed to know who he was, even if no one admitted to seeing any of his Andy Hardy movies, circa 1937-46, which made him a star. The charming J. Elijah Cho (writer/director/performer) steps into Mickey’s shoes for an hour to tell us a story about his experience being cast as a Japanese American character in the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in 1960. Of all his work on screen, stage, and his eight marriages, Mickey is most remembered by many for this one bad decision.
…a wonderful storyteller…Cho draws you in with his exuberant, yet genial, enthusiasm…a versatile actor…who makes the audience comfortable while exploring a difficult subject…
In this one-man comedy, Mr. Rooney is surprised to be offered the role of I.Y. Yunioshi, neighbor to Holly Golightly, to be played by Audrey Hepburn, in the film adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella. He seems to have remained confused his whole life about to which specific Asian culture Mr. Yunioshi belonged. He first attempts to reproduce the accent of a Chinese American delivering food to his home, but he notices the character’s lines in the script are written in poorer English than the delivery man speaks. When it finally occurs to him the character is Japanese American, he attempts to develop his characterization based on a famous Japanese actor—classically trained, erudite, and sexy. This approach is rapidly shot down by the producers who want Mr. Rooney to “be funny” in the role.
Cho, an American actor of Korean descent, is a wonderful storyteller. He had the audience at “Hello!” He would have been forgiven, perhaps even applauded, for tearing Mickey apart for the racist performance he eventually provided in the film, but he is generous to the memory of this once wildly popular star. His Mickey Rooney is ignorant but not malicious—another victim of big money studio heads. Cho draws you in with his exuberant, yet genial, enthusiasm. He is not an in-your-face stand-up comic. He is a versatile actor (singer, guitar-player, and dancer) who makes the audience comfortable while exploring a difficult subject: the inauthenticity of the American “melting-pot” and the continuing lack of understanding and valuation of different cultures in our country.
In the post-show community conversation, Mr. Cho explained that his chosen tone works best for bringing people together. Several audience members asked if he thought things were improving for actors of Asian descent in America. Yes, he said, to a point. Many creators of film and theatre want to see Asian performances “seasoning their stew,” but the final dish still belongs to someone else. It’s time for Asian artists to create the recipe and serve the full meal of their own stories.
Running time: Approximately one hour with no intermission.
“Mr. Yunioshi” runs through July 23, 2023 as part of the Logan Festival of Solo Performance at 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons, VA 22102. Performances are scheduled Sunday, July 16 at 2:00 pm; July 20, 21 and 22 at 7:30 pm; and July 23 at 6:00 pm. A discussion with Mr. Cho and the audience follows each performance. For more information and to purchase, go here, or call the theatre at (703) 854-1856.
