Two Off-JFL Comedy Shows You Must See: Kurt Braunohler and Neal Brennan

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Kurt Braunohler

In a pre-interview about his one-man show “The Inevitable Whiteness of being”, now playing at The Wiggle Room until July 25th, Kurt Braunohler promises that “something important happens at the 40-minute mark.” Well, folks, I’ve been to the show and can say with all certainty that he delivers on his promise. The first 39 minutes of the show are just as enticing – cleverly-crafted stories of personal humiliation, advice about what not to order when you’re eating alone (“fajitas offer too much fanfare for one person”) and tales about his ongoing quest to insert absurdity into strangers’ lives. He’s a great storyteller and steers the audience into deliciously nonsensical directions. Allow yourself follow him there; he knows where he’s going.

Kurt Braunohler’s The Inevitable Whiteness of Being is July 21-25 at the Wiggle Room. $21-23.

Neal Brennan: 3 Mics

Folks, you have 4 more chances to catch this show. GET ON IT. If you don’t read past this first line, at least I can say I’ve done my job.  Three microphones are spaced out on the stage and Neal Brennan alternates between them; one for traditional stand-up, one for one-liners, and one for short confessional monologues. All three are equally as riveting. The stand-up is perfection – whip-smart and delivered in an addictively conversational manner. The one-liners are shorter bursts of hilarity made all the more endearing by Brennan thoughtfully picking and choosing his material to suit the audience. But the personal stuff. Oh my god the personal stuff. Raw, beautifully eloquent descriptions of what it’s like to battle depression, to grow up with an emotionally absent father, to not know where his life is going.  There’s no bravado, just real, relatable emotion being offered to an utterly captivated audience. See this fucking show.

Neal Brennan’s 3 Mics is July 21, 22, 23, and 25 at the Mainline Theatre at 10:30 p.m. $21-23