Playwright: Colin Quinn. At: Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut St. Phone: 800-775-2000; $40-$65. Runs through: Sept. 10
Don't let comedian Colin Quinn's tough-guy Brooklyn accent fool you. He may sound like a stereotypical New York cop, but it's clear that this former Saturday Night Live funnyman could have been a much-loved history teacher after seeing Colin Quinn: Long Story Short.
Quinn's 2010 one-man Broadway show is a speedy examination of the rise and fall of great world civilizations, but scrambled up with hilarious pop culture references of today. Now playing through Sept. 10 at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, Long Story Short achieves a happy blend of history lesson and sarcastic stand-up comedy routine.
Some of Quinn's hypotheses and conclusions may sound way out there, but you end up laughing so much that you do have to often agree with his pointed and often politically-incorrect observations. Also, like many comedians, Quinn is an equal opportunity offender.
Take, for instance, how Quinn likes to tidily divide certain civilizations as being run by Smart Guys (like the Greeks) and Tough Guys (like the Romans). He also discusses how drugs ultimately played a part in the downfall of great Latin American civilizations before and after the arrival of Spanish conquistadors.
The United States certainly doesn't escape Quinn's comic barbs, as he points out how its recent involvement in invading Iraq was not unlike an after-hours barroom brawl that got out of hand.
Now as a performer, Quinn exuded a lot of nervous energy on opening night, perhaps delivering his material a tick or two faster than it needed to be. The effect might have sounded been a bit garbled for audiences unaccustomed to hearing Brooklynese dialogue at such a quick clip.
Also, for those who might bristle at paying up to $65 for what is essentially a brainy stand-up routine, Long Story Short does feature plenty of stage extras like a tiered set suggesting an amphitheatre, some cleverly chosen photo projections and a series of computer animated graphics to help place all of Quinn's comic commentary into context. Plus, Long Story Short boasts superstar comedian Jerry Seinfeld as the show's director, so you do get what you pay for in terms of brand-name comedy.
There are some topics in Long Story Short that you wish Quinn could have comically riffed further and longer on than what he currently serves. However, it's far better to leave audiences waiting for more, which is exactly what Quinn does so well at mirthfully mashing up world history for quick consumption.
Repeatedly, Quinn finds ways to poke and prod audiences to consider mankind's failure to learn from its past mistakes. However, he does it in such a way that you'll likely contemplate it all with a wicked smile on your face.