Alex Edelman: Just For Us continues its off-Broadway run at the Cherry Lane Theatre through February 19.
By Elazar Abrahams
Well, I never expected to hear my obscure Jewish name shouted on a theater stage, but that’s the kind of representation that Alex Edelman’s new stand-up show Just For Us brings to the table. Members of the tribe should rush to grab the few remaining tickets of the performance’s limited run at the Cherry Lane Theatre, but even those who can’t tell a challah from a latke should jump at the chance to witness this masterful storyteller in action.
The hour and fifteen-minute set’s focal point is the tale of Edelman visiting a white nationalist meeting in Queens. That episode alone is wild enough, but he uses that story to tangent off into riffs on everything from his Olympian brother, a magical Christmas from his elementary school years, Robin Williams, Boston, and so much more. The show has momentum in that the audience is eagerly awaiting to see how this high-spirited comic is going to fare in the midst of a bunch of neo-Nazis, yet these diversions from the A-plot only add to your enjoyment, not distract. And of course, like any good comedian, Edelman is able to tie everything together perfectly in the end, building towards a hilarious final punchline.
Just For Us deserves all the praise it’s been getting from critics, and I hope we get to see more of Edelman in the future. He has a really fun stage presence – ADHD with a tinge of anxiousness. New Yorkers looking for a fun night out should check the show out before it closes.
TV and City 