Oh, Hello on Broadway hits Netflix on June 13.
I had the pleasure of catching Oh, Hello during its Broadway run late last year. It was without a doubt the funniest piece of art I have ever witnessed live. The play just fit my sense of humor perfectly; The pop-culture references and absurdist-tone were delightful. So, when star Nick Kroll announced via Twitter that the show had been recorded and was coming to Netflix, I was quite excited. Not only so my friends could finally understand what I’d been raving about, but so I could watch it on an endless loop.
Look, I might be overselling this a bit. Oh, Hello is a full length show about Kroll and John Mulaney’s old men characters from Comedy Central’s Kroll Show. There’s celebrity guests, August Wilson shout-outs, and a surprising amount of tuna. The show is not serious by an stretch of the imagination, but that’s what makes it great. It’s silly for the sake of being silly – that’s it.
It’s doubtful this digital version will be able to capture the vibe of the live show, which relied heavily on improv. Even so, Oh, Hello will become a cult comedy special classic.
What this means for Broadway in general is an interesting conversation. Could we see other (and more prominent) stage productions on streaming services in the future? Soon you could be watching Dear Evan Hansen in your living room.
TV and City 