Billy Crystal invites us all into his family and all of the character it encompassed. It is no secret that Billy drew influence from his blood line for many of his on stage characters, that are still alive today after all these years.
Early in his big-time funny, one-man play, "700 Sundays," Billy Crystal shows home movies of himself as a child, tap-tap-tap-dancing away, like a tiny windup entertainment machine. The kid is beaming, a most happy little fella, and you are instantly struck by how in his element Crystal seems, even then.
Using his formidable talents as a comic actor, Crystal produces a portrait of his family and childhood that's funnier and more poignant for being instantly recognizable. Whether it's a rude uncle with half his face paralyzed, a genitally challenged, hearing-impaired grandfather, or a chain-smoking aunt defending her daughter's lesbian wedding, Crystal leaps into the role. He was nicknamed "the Face" by the African-American jazz musicians he grew up among, and you only have to see Crystal distort his features to resemble them to know why.
This is Billy's Tony Award winning (2005) two act play that portrays his youth, growing up in the jazz world of Manhattan, his teenage years, and finally adulthood. The title refers to the number of days Crystal got to spend with his busy-with-jobs father who died when Billy was only 15.
The pure joy of stand-up is evident in the production, having performed it to sold-out houses on Broadway and Washington, D.C., in late 2004 and early 2005. He clearly still wants us to feel the love, because he keeps taking the show on the road.
I have had the pleasure of seeing Billy Crystal twice in his early stand up days and a standing ovation is well-deserved: Billy Crystal gives a tour de force, in a performance that reaches every octave in the emotional register. His tribute to power of family - its uniqueness as well as its universality - makes brilliant theatre.
This show will bring back memories of your own certain family members that at times you may have wished would have hid in the closet when your friends came over for a visit--but that you miss so much now and laugh hysterically upon recalling them. It's a definite must see performance.
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Event: Billy Crystal 700 Sundays
Arena: Ziff Ballet Opera House the Arsht Center Miami, FL
Time: 8:00 pm
Check for tickets:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0D004331FBE56D44?artistid=1087834&majorcatid=10002&minorcatid=207
All tour dates may be viewed at: http://www.tickco.com/schedule/700-sundays/
Any reviews, comments, and inquiries are always welcomed. Contact Kelly directly at: kelections@yahoo.com.
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