‘Remember’? Yes, we see it all too clearly

In “I Remember You” at the Falcon Theatre, playwright Bernard Slade immerses you in a warm, bubbly bath of nostalgia -- then holds your head under.

Slade has made quite an industry out of writing high-concept comedies of a lushly romantic bent. His “Same Time, Next Year” traced the progression of a covert love affair in which the lovers met once a year over the course of several decades. “I Remember You” revolves around an aging lounge crooner who has a whirlwind affair with a woman half his age, only to learn she holds a secret. (But anyone who is even roughly paying attention will likely see that “twist” coming early on in the first act.)

The play’s nostalgic intentions are nicely underscored by designer Tom Buderwitz’s perfectly realized Manhattan tavern set, a welcoming nook festooned with vintage movie posters from the 1930s and ‘40s. The thrumming rain and dim lighting, courtesy of Robert Arturo Ramirez’s excellent sound design and J. Kent Inasy’s mellow lighting, make the ambience doubly cozy.

It’s in this hideaway that Austin “Buddy” Bedford (Tony Danza), the bar’s co-owner and piano bar performer, meets Tracy Wheaton (Madison Dunaway), an affluent bond trader with a clear eye on the future. Buddy, conversely, has his sights set firmly on the past -- particularly on his failed love affair with Prunella Somerset (Robin Riker), a married Englishwoman whose memory has haunted his life.

Although Buddy is unaware of Tracy’s connection to his past, her resemblance to Prunella rekindles his banked flames. Naturally, when Tracy takes Buddy home to meet Mama -- who, by the way, is still looking mighty fetching -- high jinks result with a vengeance.

Of course, the big gun in this production is Danza in a role that could have been written for him. Not only is he a modestly talented crooner who gets an opportunity to chortle a variety of beloved standards, he also cut his teeth in sitcoms and still knows how to nail down a laugh before a live audience. But Danza isn’t a gifted listener, and that’s a crucial deficit. Danza sometimes seems more interested in his next cue than in what is actually being said.

Director Walter Painter helms an impressively professional production, while Richard Gilliland is especially effective as the devoted admirer who loves Prunella from afar. However, all that professional polish can’t hold together the play’s sagging edifice, which ultimately buckles under the weight of self-conscious sentimentality.

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‘I Remember You’

Where: Falcon Theatre, 4252 Riverside Drive, Burbank

When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays

Ends: Nov. 12

Price: $30 to $37.50

Contact: (818) 955-8101

Running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes