Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear
WHAT: Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear (Stand-Up Comedy)
WHEN: Running December 4 – 16, 2012
WHERE: Steppenwolf Theatre Company (1650 N. Halsted)
HOST: Jeff Garlin and Steppenwolf Theatre Company
OUR RATING: Do it!
–(photo courtesy of jeffgarlin.com)
We had the amazing opportunity to see the first preview of Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear, a limited engagement stand-up comedy routine in Steppenwolf’s intimate Upstairs Theatre.
While perhaps most known for his role in HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm (of which he is also the executive producer), Jeff is also an alum of Chicago’s Second City, wrote/directed/starred in the film I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, has lent his voice to numerous Disney movies and has a local show based in LA called By the Way – Conversations With.
Here’s our two cents on his newest show, Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear.
Alicia: Unlike Adam, I am not a die-hard fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm, nor as familiar with Jeff’s comedy in general. Nevertheless, I went into the performance ready and willing for anything he might throw at me. I was not dissatisfied.
I won’t lie and say Mr. Garlin was flawless. His strength is clearly in scripted (or slightly structured) material, rather than stand-up. While the middle of his performance was shaky (he kept going back to a list of possible stories/angles he brought with him and trying out some new things, many of which only elicited a single laugh or two from the audience before descending into silence), the beginning and end of the show were really strong, and he was a pro at recovering from some of his dead-end attempts.
Perhaps what made this show so appealing was Jeff’s familiarity with Chicago (he’s a native of the city and owns a place up in the Gold Coast). Many of his jokes were based on things I knew from merely walking along the intersection of Chicago and Michigan, or passing the Lou Malnati’s in the Gold Coast. Jeff knows what a Chicago audience can relate to, and how to make it funny. His childish charm and curiosity are really unique staples in his routine. In summary, I found it extremely enjoyable, and I laughed a lot…which is the point, right? I’d go again, even if only to see his jack-o-lantern prop and hear a re-hash of his story about a man and his lotions and creams. I won’t expound or clarify…what would be the fun in that?
Adam: You can’t imagine how thrilled I was to able to see the legendary Jeff Garlin at Steppenwolf, practically right in my backyard. I have a long association with Curb Your Enthusiasm, and remember clearly first seeing the advertisements for it, starring Jeff, about ten or eleven years ago on British television. More than just a comedy series, the show resonated for me at another level, as I saw myself and antics (albeit exaggerated) reflected in those of the characters more often than not.
Jeff Garlin is truly a master of observational comedy. Whether it’s slightly touchy subjects like the obese and their scooters (and who hasn’t wondered about this) or the infamous “lotions and creams” man, Jeff literally makes you laugh out loud. And I mean LAUGH out loud, as in, I was laughing so much I could barely contain myself, which certainly can’t be said of any run-of-the-mill comedian.
His deep knowledge of Chicago and relatability to the audience created a relaxed atmosphere more akin to a conversation with Jeff than a show. While I would ordinarily find audience participation and shout-outs rather annoying, they were entirely appropriate here, and lent to the lovable sense of collective friendship Jeff created.
Jeff’s greatest strength is perhaps a total willingness to say what everyone else is thinking. He doesn’t do this maliciously or with intent to offend, but in the manner of the genuinely interested, which makes us evaluate why we are so introverted in our everyday lives as to never ask these questions. Perhaps what makes him so appealing is his ingenious ability to turn uncomfortable subjects into feather beds.
If you can make it to this show GO! Please, please go! It is the perfect antidote to the impending winter and might, just might, give you a little more faith in the human condition. (Additionally, this is a great opportunity to meet and greet with Jeff after the show, with a variety of merchandise for sale and signing by the man himself).
P.S.: Jeff has a fab new autobiography out that’s worth a read, if you can continue coherently between the laughs – Curbing It
