Review: THE NEW ONE at The National Theatre Has Heart

When was the last time you laughed and had a heartwarming night at the theatre? If it has been a while, then head straight to The National Theatre. Mike Birbiglia's tale of his journey to fatherhood in The New One will not only bring a smile to your face, but it will warm even the most-hardened Washingtonian's heart.

The New One is part stand-up routine, part one-man autobiographical show. In it, Birbiglia recounts how he evolved from not wanting children to experiencing the adventures of fatherhood with his wife and daughter. For those couples thinking of having children, or parents who just need a night out, The New One is the perfect show.

Birbiglia's humor is a cross between John Mulaney and Ray Romano. Like Mulaney he's dry, observant, focused not necessarily on the absurd, but the border between absurdity and reality. He channels Romano in that there is an every-man, at times self-pitying, quality about him. One of the biggest laughs of the evening centered on how fatherhood is like the vice presidency, great title, little impact on Congress, or in this case, his household.

For The New One to work, and go beyond the realm of stand-up, there has to be a compelling story and storyteller. This production has both.

As a storyteller, Birbiglia is able to convey great heart and a range of emotions. His vocal inflections and pitch throughout the show signify that this is not just another routine. Yes, sometimes the soft-spoken tone leads to a joke, but combine that with the story of how he came to welcome fatherhood, and your heart melts. And when you learn about the medical issues he has had throughout his life, you cannot help but love the guy.

Now crashing things onto the stage is nothing new. Heck, Phantom of the Opera has been running for three decades because of it. But while we're used to chandeliers and helicopters on stage, an avalanche of baby toys is not something you'd expect during a night out at The National Theatre.

Tony Winning scenic designer Beowulf Boritt goes for a minimalist approach with The New One. A brick wall and radiator pipes are all there is to the set, however, at one point the stage descends into a daycare come gone awry. Suddenly the chaos of parenthood, and what Birbiglia was feeling, becomes abundantly clear. Adding to that emotion is Aaron Copp's light design. It's soft and effective, delicate, yet intimate, helping to emphasize a point or convey fatherhood's various twist and turns.

Half the fun of The New One is getting to embrace the rollercoaster of parenthood with Birbiglia, and to laugh while doing so. The other half is just feeling good leaving the theatre. Now, when was the last time that happened to you?

Runtime is One hour and 20 minutes with no intermission

The New One runs thru September 29th at The National Theatre - 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets please call (202) 628-6161 or click here.

Photo: Mike Birbiglia. Credit: National Theatre.

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