Review: David Sedaris Brings a Little Night Mirth to Symphony Hall

Celebrity Series of Boston Presents David Sedaris

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 @ 8 pm, Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA; Celebrity Series of Boston, Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director; 617-482-2595 or www.celebrityseries.org

Celebrity Series of Boston is an arts institution, bringing the world's best performers to local stages for 77 years. Author and humorist David Sedaris marked his 11th appearance with the Series with his visit to Symphony Hall this week and, judging by the size of the audience, he can continue to draw a crowd no matter how many times they bring him back. His program adheres to a routine format of reading from his latest magazine article or book, sharing several diary entries, and taking questions from the audience, followed by a book signing for those willing to brave a long line that snakes through the lobby. However, there is nothing routine about the subject matter and content of Sedaris' writing, except for the irony, sarcasm, and guaranteed mirth it promises.

With the anticipation level climbing as each minute past eight o'clock ticked off, the stage door opened and a young, bespectacled man strode confidently to the podium. It could have been David Sedaris a couple of decades ago, but it was 21-year old Caleb Bouchard, a poet and Georgia college student who has been pen pals with Sedaris since the age of twelve. He opened the program by reading a few of his short poems and seems to share the sensibility of his mentor. Continuing in a vein of generosity, Sedaris preceded his readings with an unsolicited shout-out to Tremont Street retailer Sault New England, particularly recommending their business cards with sassy sayings, such as "Stop talking," and their men's fashions and accessories.

He read "A Modest Proposal," an essay about gay marriage that was published in the September 28th issue of The New Yorker. Detailing his own issues with the idea of gay people succumbing to the heterosexual ideal of coupling, he began to see the light when his accountant pointed out the numerous financial advantages of being married. However, when he proposed to his longtime partner, Hugh rejected the plan. According to David, he proposed no fewer than 18 times before Hugh was finally worn down and agreed to marry just to shut him up.

Some of his best stories are about the Sedaris family and their vacations to Emerald Isle on the coast of North Carolina. "The Silent Treatment" is his latest, poignantly describing his relationship with his 92-year old father, contrasting the difficulty they have in talking with each other, as compared to the effortlessness of conversation he shared with his late mother. His evocative description - "We're like a bad pair of trapeze artists, just missing connecting" - probably resonates with many fathers and sons. From tales about the south to stories from across the pond (Sedaris and Hugh live in England) and around the world, Sedaris launched into a selection of hilarious diary entries that will populate his next book, Theft by Finding. Some of the best fodder comes from questions he asks people as he is signing books after a performance, such as, "Have you ever been stabbed?" Of course, he had to mention Donald Trump ("It wouldn't surprise me if he chose the Hamburglar as his running mate"), and he always shares wonderful anecdotes about his travels and the strange characters he meets.

Over the course of approximately ninety minutes, the audience hangs on every word and the wit never wanes. In addition to his ability as a wordsmith, Sedaris has a delightful delivery style and genuinely seems to enjoy what he is reading just as much as we enjoy listening to him. When he takes questions from the audience, he is forthcoming and genuine with his answers. He is also in the habit of recommending another author's book that he has read. This year's choice is Akhil Sharma's novel Family Life. Sedaris tells us it is for sale in the lobby along with his books and adds, "I'd buy this before anything I wrote." David Sedaris: not your average celebrity.

Photo credit: Hugh Hamrick (David Sedaris)

To post a comment, you must register and login.