SECOND HELPING

After suggesting, in my review last week (Goldblum opens 'Music Man' on a jittery note , July 7, 2004) of the CLO's "The Music Man," that lead Jeff Goldblum, being new to musical theater, might improve over the two-week run, I thought it only fair to go back and see if he has.

He has.

Within limits. One limit is mine. I went back on Tuesday, one week after the opening, but my schedule would let me stay for only an hour, just through the library scene. But since that includes four big Harold Hill numbers -- "Trouble," "76 Trombones," "The Sadder-But-Wiser Girl" and "Marian the Librarian" -- I think I got enough of a taste of Goldblum's performance to testify to its improvement.

Mainly, he's more at ease; dozens of small details are evidence. Now, the audience is more likely to relax and enjoy his goofy hyper charm. More at home, he's able to be even more himself, and while Jeff Goldblum may not be my idea of Harold Hill, he almost disarms that objection. Both Goldblum and his Hill have too obvious designs on us, but the nutty glint in his eye is seductive. You want to play along with him to see where it leads. So he makes a believable Pied Piper of River City -- you can see why this stranger might mesmerize folks and get them to buy into his fantasy.

It's a fun performance.

That doesn't deny the other limits, those of Goldblum's voice and acting. But I stand by my initial judgment that his singing is serviceable, especially now that he seems to have more confidence and doesn't fritter himself away in so much unfocused detail. But since I couldn't stay, I didn't get to see if his improvement carried over to the other side of Harold Hill, the one who falls for Marian in Act 2. I rather doubt it: The attraction of Goldblum's performance is its playfulness, so it's hard to believe he can convey sentiment, too. But maybe so -- he's obviously been working hard, to good effect.

I could even see him making a go on Broadway, given the right role and lots of work. But I suppose he'll go back to being a movie star. Wouldn't you?

By the way, co-star Catherine Wreford, who was much better to start with, is now better still. She's looser and does more, which makes her warmer. And Illeana Douglas is better focused and funnier as Mrs. Shinn. She and the other ladies have the chicken-scratching of "Pick-a-little" down pat.

DOG & PONY

SMUT: Scenes and Monologues from Literary Erotic is a fund-raiser for Dog & Pony Show. The company will perform pieces adapted from works of literature at 8 tonight and Saturday at Studio Theater, Cathedral of Learning, Oakland. Tickets are $15. Call 412-431-7580.