Written by orange• May 2, 2017• 9:14 pm• Huntington Beach Library Theater, Huntington Beach Playhouse, Review, Theater, Uncategorized

My Son The Waiter : A Jewish Tragedy @ Huntington Beach Library in Huntington Beach – Review

Written by Patrick Chavis

One of the great things about theatre, compared to other mediums of expression such as film or television, is its egalitarianism. If you have the talent and are creative enough to market it properly, the overhead in theatre is significantly less than its counterparts (there are exceptions, of course). As I sat down to watch My Son the Waiter, A Jewish Tragedy, a show that is the same guy for an hour and 30 minutes telling me his story with nothing more than a chair and a table, I discovered I was laughing and enjoying myself the entire time. It shows that sometimes you need one actor and a solid story, and you can make it work.

My Son the Waiter is told by Brad Zimmerman in what appears to be a typical stand-up comedy club style. Still, it departs from your traditional standup in the precise way the show piggybacks off Zimmerman’s childhood and the 29 years he spent as a waiter in New York. Zimmerman tells us about his experiences with customers and women, his relationship with his father, and most importantly, his Jewish mother’s effect on his life.

While there are some theatrical moments throughout his storytelling, Zimmerman tends to dance between what feels like a standup comedy club night and an accurate personal tale about his life. I realize a lot of comedians talk about their lives, but Zimmerman’s heavy focus on his mother and his days as a server set him apart. Did I get conned? Because it’s tough to make a distinction between whether this is a play told like a stand-up or if it’s a stand-up with an ultra-thematic message. After thinking about it, it must be both.

Brad Zimmerman is genuinely funny, and you can’t fake that. It comes across on stage and becomes more than just a stand-up. Even though you might not be Jewish, I think most people can identify with familial pressure, and while it’s usually coming from a good place, how it can make you feel and affect the person, you become.

I can’t say this is the most “night at the theater” evening you’ll ever have. I can assure you there’s a funny guy with a hilarious story about his life waiting for you at the Huntington Beach Library.