Simon Amstell - Solo Show in New York

[Source]

May 31, 2012, 10:50 am
British Comedian Simon Amstell Bringing Solo Show to New York
By DAVE ITZKOFF

Richard Grassie

In Britain, the comedian Simon Amstell stars on his own series, “Grandma's House,”
and has hosted the game show “Never Mind the Buzzcocks.”

In America, the British comedian Simon Amstell may not yet have the name recognition of Eddie Izzard or Billy Connolly, but a New York producer who helped break those better-known names in the United States is betting that he'll be the latest stand-up to find success on the opposite side of the Atlantic.

On Thursday, the producer Arnold Engelman said that his WestBeth Entertainment company will present Mr. Amstell's new one-man show “Numb” at Theater 80 in Manhattan's East Village for a five-week run starting July 10.

Mr. Amstell, 32, a floppy-haired London-born comedian with a gentle, self-deprecating style (and, some would say, a passing resemblance to the “Social Network” star Jesse Eisenberg) is known in Britain for his semi-autobiographical BBC2 television series “Grandma's House” and for having hosted the comedy game show “Never Mind the Buzzcocks.”

Mr. Engelman has previously produced solo shows featuring the British performers Mr. Izzard and Mr. Connolly as well as American talents like Sandra Bernhard, John Cameron Mitchell and Margaret Cho at the defunct Westbeth Theater Center. He said in years past he had seen Mr. Amstell at festivals in Edinburgh and Montreal but was not won over by his material until recently.

“You could see this incredible growth of a comedian,” Mr. Engelman said in a telephone interview. “He has a lot more confidence and he feels better about his material.”

Though perhaps not too much confidence: citing Mr. Amstell's “nebbishy” presence, Mr. Engelman also compared him to Mr. Eisenberg and to Woody Allen in his early stand-up days.

“Everybody isn't 6-foot-2 and stunningly gorgeous,” Mr. Engelman said. “But you don't feel sorry for him as a comedian. His story isn't about, O woe is me. It's just telling a story of life from his point of view.”

Mr. Engelman said he could see Mr. Amstell's new show appealing to younger audiences, adding numerous caveats. “I don't consider myself old, and I get nervous whenever I talk about this age thing,” Mr. Engelman said, “because then everybody looks at me and says, ‘How old are you?' And of course I refuse to answer that question.”

Citing a line from Mr. Izzard, Mr. Engelman added, “As Eddie would say, ‘I'm young up here.'”