Cabaret Scenes Review - Jackie Hoffman

Jackie Hoffman loves, as we Brits say, “taking the piss out of herself” (sending herself up), and she uses the context of this amazingly gorgeous new venue as a starting point. The show starts hysterically with “Bottom” (music – Will Van Dyke; lyrics – Hoffman), an account of how her career has been on an upward trajectory, all the way to the…basement.

She’s full of beefs and sour grapes, but always in terrific humor. Her show’s a combination of stand-up and uproarious songs, for which she wrote almost all the lyrics. In addition to “Bottom,” “Shavuoth” (music Lon Hoyt) and “Get to the Point” (music Van Dyke and Hoffman) added even more hilarity to the evening.

Patti LuPone officially opened the venue on June 5, yet Hoffman was the first performer in the venue two days before. She reads the New York Times’ article announcing the venue, searching for her name amongst the list of luminaries, to no avail. Yet Hoffman gets a cover photo on an AIDS magazine. Did Patti? No!

She gives us accounts of her mother’s comments to friends on her daughter’s career: “Sometimes she’s just not working – that’s the nature of this business.” She picks up the garnish off a patron’s plate – a meter long piece of seaweed, and throws it fetchingly around her neck. She calls Andrew Lloyd Webber “a bit of a dick,” and quickly realizes she should apologize. “I mean SIR Andrew Lloyd Webber.” I just have to point out he’s really a LORD.

Will Van Dyke on piano gives terrific musical and comic support, on top of having written most of the original music. His cute, meek demeanor is a lovely counterpoint to Hoffman’s bigger-than-life persona. His horn-rimmed specs seem to serve as re-entry shields for the g-force created by Hoffman’s performance. Co-author and director Michael Schiralli does an outstanding job keeping the energy and comedy going.

Truthfully, Hoffman’s loudness is a bit much for me, but please don’t let that deter you from going. It’s part of her “charm” and what makes her who she is, and, according to Time Out New York, the 33rd funniest New Yorker out of 50.

Jackie Hoffman is loud, brash, and hysterically funny, and can be seen on July 8, 15, 22 and 29.

Harold Sanditen
Cabaret Scenes
June 17, 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Jackie Hoffman 54 Below New York, NY
Jackie Hoffman loves, as we Brits say, “taking the piss out of herself” (sending herself up), and she uses the context of this amazingly gorgeous new venue as a starting point. The show starts hysterically with “Bottom” (music – Will Van Dyke; lyrics – Hoffman), an account of how her career has been on an upward trajectory, all the way to the…basement. She’s full of beefs and sour grapes, but always in terrific humor. Her show’s a combination of stand-up and uproarious songs, for which she wrote almost all the lyrics. In addition to “Bottom,” “Shavuoth” (music Lon Hoyt) and “Get to the Point” (music Van Dyke and Hoffman) added even more hilarity to the evening. Patti LuPone officially opened the venue on June 5, yet Hoffman was the first performer in the venue two days before. She reads the New York Times’ article announcing the venue, searching for her name amongst the list of luminaries, to no avail. Yet Hoffman gets a cover photo on an AIDS magazine. Did Patti? No! She gives us accounts of her mother’s comments to friends on her daughter’s career: “Sometimes she’s just not working – that’s the nature of this business.” She picks up the garnish off a patron’s plate – a meter long piece of seaweed, and throws it fetchingly around her neck. She calls Andrew Lloyd Webber “a bit of a dick,” and quickly realizes she should apologize. “I mean SIR Andrew Lloyd Webber.” I just have to point out he’s really a LORD. Will Van Dyke on piano gives terrific musical and comic support, on top of having written most of the original music. His cute, meek demeanor is a lovely counterpoint to Hoffman’s bigger-than-life persona. His horn-rimmed specs seem to serve as re-entry shields for the g-force created by Hoffman’s performance. Co-author and director Michael Schiralli does an outstanding job keeping the energy and comedy going. Truthfully, Hoffman’s loudness is a bit much for me, but please don’t let that deter you from going. It’s part of her “charm” and what makes her who she is, and, according to Time Out New York, the 33rd funniest New Yorker out of 50. Jackie Hoffman is loud, brash, and hysterically funny, and can be seen on July 8, 15, 22 and 29. Harold Sanditen Cabaret Scenes June 17, 2012 www.cabaretscenes.org

Jackie Hoffman

54 BelowNew York, NY

54 Below
New York, NY