I attended the Spend The Night With Billy Crystal show on Thursday, February 16th at Symphony Hall in downtown San Diego California.
This unique performance was set in an interview format, as essentially a retrospective on the five-decade career of comedian Billy Crystal.
Mr. Crystal was accompanied by actress/comedian Bonnie Hunt who served as the interviewer for this unique performance format.
I found the format, as well as the show itself to be quite entertaining, as it included lots of storytelling interspersed with bits of stand up, as well as a plethora of film clips from crystals remarkable career.
The format, which included Mr. Crystal and Ms. Hunt seated on stage in a pair of chairs that one might find in ones living room, made the audience feel like they were invited guests. This intimate feel to the evening was greatly enhanced by the numerous behind the scenes stories related by Crystal that were both touching and hilarious.
Moreover, during the 2 1/4 hour performance, the conversation ranged from crystals earliest attempts at standup, to his role on the sitcom Soap, to Saturday night live, to his feature films, to finally his 9 times hosting the Academy Awards.
However, it was his descriptions of the genuinely private moments with icons such as Muhammad Ali, Sammy Davis Junior, and the late Robin Williams that made this performance very unique and very memorable. Billy Crystal fans will definitely love “Spend The Night With Billy Crystal” as it is a great stroll down memory lane with one of the finest comedians of the last 50 years.
Click here for a full list of upcoming performances http://www.livenation.com/artists/151413/billy-crystal
By Bob Dietrich and Calvin Goetz
