Mike Birbiglia: The New One (Off-Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (32)
See it if you like Mike Birbiglia; you like great comedy; you have or have ever thought about having children; you want to leave the theater smiling.
Don't see it if you have no soul? Can't think of any reason not to see it. Not even if you already saw it. Because I did, and then I went again on Broadway.
See it if you're a fan of Birbiglia or you just want to see a really poignant and funny narrative about the transition into fatherhood.
Don't see it if you're not into one-man shows or you're thin-skinned (a la the NY Times critic) - his view of fatherhood isn't all rainbows and sunshine. Read more
See it if You can appreciate a one man show featuring an absolutely delightful comic mind.
Don't see it if You only like shows with big production numbers.
See it if you want to hear a real story told by an excellent story-teller. Mike's tale really rings true and he does entertain the audience.
Don't see it if you have an aversion to one-man shows and don't want to hear about one man's journey into fatherhood.
See it if you're a fan of Birbiglia & curious about his recent life, you enjoy his hilarious take on modern urban & family life, you want to laugh
Don't see it if funny stories about 39-ish married guy are not your thing, don't like one person shows or evenings that resemble stand up more than a play
See it if You enjoy comedy about becoming a parent and/or are a MB fan.
Don't see it if You don’t want to laugh? I can’t imagine anyone going and not enjoying this show.
See it if You want to hear Mike Birbiglia tackle the reasons not to have kids and how it happened anyway
Don't see it if You don't like blunt honesty about feelings and opinions that aren't the "appropriate" things to feel or say
See it if you want a good laugh that does not offend. How delightful to just sit back and forget your troubles.
Don't see it if you don't like one man comedy shows no matter how funny or entertaining.
Critic Reviews (22)
"At first excruciatingly funny and then just kind of excruciating. The first hour, about his wife and cat and brother and vascular repair, is gorgeous, just the right amount of wrong...But once Mr. Birbiglia actually has a kid, most of what makes him so immensely appealing — his acuity, his empathy — goes down for a nap...The jokes don’t really stop, but they take a brakes-stripping turn toward self-pity ...After the birth Mr. Birbiglia seems awful. "
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"About his reluctant journey to fatherhood and how it has changed his life. That may sound about as scintillating as potato salad, but Birbiglia isn't some generic straight white guy whining about domesticity. He is raw, self-deprecating and painfully aware of both his privilege and his failings...The show isn't groundbreaking in structure, style or substance...But the meticulous and evocative way he expresses himself makes 'The New One'—like a newborn baby—special, unique and lovable."
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"The show is a sustained demonstration of effective comic writing and acting—Birbiglia is brilliant at weaponizing the conspiratorial stage whisper...Birbiglia hits peak funny when riffing on his frailties, medical and otherwise, and his self-deprecation comes across not as an underhanded cry for unearned 'helpless dad' sympathy but as an expression of genuine doubt about his role in the new family unit."
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"His comedic observational skills are sharp as a tack...Birbiglia seems deeply sincere in his lack of self-regard. It makes him all the funnier and more relatable...By the end of the evening, you feel less like an audience member than an old friend. Which is not to downplay the performer's incredibly sharp wit and gift for wordplay...It takes tremendous skill to come across in such an unskilled manner....That the show is being staged in such intimate confines only makes it all the more special."
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"It’s kind of a medical miracle, what Mike Birbiglia has done. No, not fathering a child after fertility doctors informed him 'my boys don’t swim.' Rather, he has miraculously breathed life into a catalogue of ancient comedy targets...His take on these subjects is frequently hilarious, and fresh nearly to the point of innocence, as Birbiglia encounters each awful reality for himself...An affecting story is at first funny, then sad, and finally profound."
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"Parenthood is well-worn territory for comedians, but Birbligia makes the show fresh and revealing through direct storytelling, precise pacing and his trademark nice guy persona, in which he presents himself in a casual, affable and excited manner. He interweaves observational humor, personal anecdotes (such as his clueless experience in Amsterdam’s Red Light District), sentimental touches and physical bits."
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"Directed by Seth Barrish, 'The New One' is original perspective on a familiar situation. Birbiglia is at the height of his powers as a storyteller, and his innate drollness earns laughs from particularly embarrassing subjects...Really, the laughs are nonstop. There's not a single lull. But it's also surprisingly tender, particularly in the later section."
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“The latest chapter of Birbiglia's life inventory...This time Birbiglia digs more deeply, subjecting his flaws to hilariously ruthless examination and getting to the heart of marriage and fatherhood and what they mean to him. As always, he is the most elusive of targets, defying categorization even as he lands laugh after laugh...‘The New One’ treads nimbly on more profound matters...This time he has an epiphany that can bring a tear to your eye”
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