Broadway’s hottest new show “All Out” is definitely outside the normative Broadway production. “All Out: Comedy About Ambition” is a show written by Simon Rich and directed by Alex Timbers. Its narrative is about four comedians who gather to read stories written by Rich, which detail anecdotes about “ego, envy, greed, and basically just New Yorkers in general.” It’s a unique set up, and this uniqueness is elevated by the fact that it has a rotating cast of different comedians, with some big names like Sarah Silverman, Heidi Gardner, Craig Robinson and Beck Bennet. I was lucky enough to head down and see it on the opening night performance of comedians Jake Shane, Ray Romano, Nicholas Braun and Jenny Slate. They were accompanied with original music from the band Lawrence to complete the show. While the comedians themselves and the music were exceptional, I do not think this production works within the confines of a typical Broadway show.
Told through small short stories accompanied by graphics on the screen behind them, each comedian gets their own moment and works with one another to tell stories about astronauts, monsters, lazy foxes and New York City. The standout comedic story, in my opinion, was Jenny Slate’s monologue, where she took several minutes narrating as Paul Revere’s horse, Oatsy. It was a captivating showing that had many members of the audience laughing out loud.
Besides this, the music by Lawrence was spectacular, and the duo’s stage presence was unmatched. They were able to fill up the space that other Broadway shows fill with extravagant dance numbers by moving around the set, singing and playing their instruments. Similarly, all four performers had excellent stage presence, appearing with confidence and nailing many of the punch lines of the show that would have fallen short without their expertise. With that being said, there are still faults in the show worth highlighting.
This play was out of the ordinary for Broadway standards and story, which felt surprising as I went into it with no prior information on what it was like. It seemed to lack a common thread or narrative line among the small stories, making the transitions between tales feel disjointed. Similarly, stories varied in time and subject matter, which made some feel rushed and others dragged out. It is also important to mention that the actors were reading their lines from their books. Seeing this took me out of the moment for some aspects of the show.
I think this show could have flowed better if the cast was a consistent crew of comedians or Broadway actors rather than a rotating cast. Their confidence and time spent in the role would have paired better with Lawrence’s confident and impactful performances. Furthermore, I think adding props or choreography within the stories would have made them more engaging. Some of the stories seemed stagnant, lacking motion, becoming lost in the shuffle of other ones and losing the focus of the audience. Overall, I think more time spent fleshing out the ideas and making a conscious effort to bring engagement onto the stage would have added to the show’s uniqueness.
“All Out” is a one-of-a-kind and fun show that packs elegant comedy with a concert-like performance from the band. It is definitely geared towards an older audience looking for an elegant yet comedic night out. Within its own creative binds the show works well, but it struggles to match the engagement and captivating energy that other Broadway productions contain. This is a fun and easy watch for those who would like to avoid showtunes, but enjoy the theater-going experience.
