Uni-Versary: 25 Years of Unitard
Written/Performed by Mike Albo, Nora Burns, David Ilku
Directed by Adam Pivirotto
Thurs., April 30, 9:30pm at Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette St.)
Tickets available at Joe’s Pub HERE
BY SCOTT STIFFLER | Twenty-Five years ago, a comedy trio called Unitard delighted and challenged NYC audiences with their spot-on dissections of shallow, self-centered, and relentlessly cruel behavior.
Back then, the tiny troupe’s razor-sharp monologues and sketches targeted a mix of vampiric real estate agents, tweaky disciples of contemporary trends, determined social climbers, and (in relatively recent years), the sea of humanity found on gay sex apps–from horndogs adept at guessing “how many inches” to the gal pal in a guy’s 15-year-old, “still looked fresh back then” profile picture.
Gifted comedians whose faces, limbs, and vocals did much of the heavy lifting usually accomplished by sets and costumes, the Unitard roster–Mike Albo, Nora Burs, and David Ilku–were (and remain) adept at crystalizing the essence of the sometimes clueless, often shockingly self-aware among us.
Turns out, their carefully calibrated scale of how much “contemptible” is acceptable has proven eerily predictive, given the extreme erosion of standards seen in everything from anti-immigration sweeps to unnecessary military actions, to profanity-laced tirades from top leadership. Indeed, we need Unitard’s howlingly funny brand of balloon-popping now, more than ever. Is there some sort of Bat Signal our new mayor can install atop City Hall, to call the comedic trio in times of trouble?
That won’t be necessary–because, as usual, Unitard is serving supper just ahead of hunger, having announced their return to Joe’s Pub for one performance only: Thursday, April 30, at 9:30pm.
Uni-Versary: 25 Years of Unitard will celebrate, the promo material promises, “a quarter-century of comedy with a hilarious and hopefully not-too-offensive extravaganza…with its fiery comic take on society, politics and social norms.” As directed by Adam Pivirotto, the anniversary show will revisit the best, worst, and “most delightfully dangerous material” from Unitard’s brimming catalog. ”Surprise favorites, hilarious deep cuts, and artfully offensive picks” are promised. And so, we firmly advise making a reservation now–whether you’re a Unitard appreciator from back in the day, or have yet to discover and embrace that most pleasant of orientations.
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