Concert review: Brian Regan
Brian Regan
My cheekbones have been aching all day.
It’s been a small price to pay to be completely and utterly cracked up for more than 90 minutes Sunday night at the Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker.
A capacity crowd laughed it up in the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre (the Civic Center’s big theater) as comedian Brian Regan brought his potent mix of quirky observational humor and hilarious physicality on his latest tour of theaters. My sister bought tickets for me for an early birthday gift; our husbands also went along for the show, which attracted children, teenagers and adults of a wide age range.
For my sister, husband and me, it was our second time to see the Miami-bred comic live. In 2007, Regan sold out the smaller Rose State Performing Arts Center.
He was just as hilarious this time around, repeating just a few bits from his earlier Oklahoma City show. Known for eschewing blue humor and bad language, Regan riffed on hearing tests, “Dora the Explorer,” awkward party conversation, octopi, his son’s obsession with imaginary lava, reading, moving, charitable gifts made in his name, chess, football, and a multitude of other topics.
In one of his funniest gags, he drew a hysterical comparison to lame dog tricks and magician illusions, asking people to imagine how unimpressed they’d be with a magician who rolled over and played dead or balanced a cookie on his nose. Conversely, he got the crowd thinking - and chuckling about - how impressive a levitating or card-shuffling canine would be.
He also talked hilariously about people inflicting on others experiences they find enjoyable. His kindly neighbors unintentionally tormented him with their constantly tinkling windchimes. He likened the experience to people who wear perfumes and colognes “not from his solar system” and bring their fellow men and women to their knees.
The experienced comic was greeted mostly by uproarious laughter but handled it with aplomb when a new joke about crooks straightening placemats completely bombed. “Thanks for the feedback,” he joked with a straight face, drawing laughter out of the audience.
A couple of times, Regan actually cracked himself up, a good sign that a comedian really is having fun.
The fans rewarded Regan with a standing ovation. For his encore, he followed his tradition of allowing his fans to shout out bits from his older shows for him to perform. He acted out the injury-inducing experiences he and his brothers had with homemade bike ramps – expanding the familiar gag to explain why his mother could never remember to get the right peanut butter – and then shared details of an emergency room trip he had to take as an adult.
At the close of his encore, the fans once again got to their feet to show appreciation for Regan’s great performance.
Regan received 25 minutes of humorous support from his opening act, comic Joe Bolster. Bolster was at his best when he was sharing tales of his 7-year-old twin sons, including how his kids are able to get rid of telemarketers with their nonsensical questions and silly made-up songs.
But Bolster’s funniest bit centered on how he and his wife found out they were having twins. They didn’t find out until the ultrasound technician pointed out their baby’s “other head,” so it came as a quite a shock.
Let’s hope Regan makes his way back to Oklahoma City soon, and if he brings Bolster along for the trip, all for the funnier.
-BAM
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I just wanted to say that Brian gets funnier every time I see him. Also, I appreciate that he works clean. When you consider other comedians acts, it must be quite a challenge to pull off. You just don’t see it that much.