In terms of a “number of words” to “fits of laughter” ratio, is there anyone more efficient than Boston comedic legend Steven Wright? The guy rarely wastes a line for a setup, but instead unleashes an unrelenting assault of slowly delivered, melancholy one-liners, sometimes only requiring three or four words for a joke to payoff (example: “I’m addicted to placebos”). Perhaps the best in the biz at balancing comedic delivery with quick witticisms, Wright probably owes much of his fame to his immediately recognizable croaking monotone (cleverly employed on “Dr. Katz” and “Reservoir Dogs”), which lends itself perfectly to the absurdity and irony he pushes (case in point, I couldn’t imagine “I’m addicted to placebos” working for the convulsive stylings of Dane Cook). Wright’s brevity means a typical set consists of hundreds and hundreds of jokes, and a night full of nonsensical wit. A personal favorite: “Lately I’ve been trying to feel healthier, so I eat a lot of vitamins, but I don’t know. Do you know how many vitamins you have to eat to be full? One good thing though, the color of my urine is a-ma-zing. It’s like going to a laser show.” (Andy Seifert)
May 15 at Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield, (773)472-0366, 8pm. $35.
RECOMMENDED
