Review: Mike Birbiglia’s “Sleepwalk With Me”

I would like to begin by saying that I am writing this review directly to Mike Birbiglia as he may be alerted about this blog through “Google Alerts.” And no, don’t worry Mike, I won’t call you “pawkward” (pudgy + awkward). Honestly, I think you have lost some weight since the last time I saw you.

I  saw your off-broadway show, “Sleepwalk With Me” almost two weeks ago and I am finally getting around to writing a blog about it. I’ve been wanting to write this review the moment I walked out of the Bleecker Street Theatre but I haven’t been able to get around to it…sorry Mike. But now that I am writing this blog, I would like to say that “Sleepwalk With Me” was hands down the funniest thing I have seen in five years and probably in the top ten funniest things I have seen in my life. From the moment you came on stage, you were “en fuego.” Even your “turn off your cell phone” reminder was funny! You came to my college almost three ago and you were funny then (no Mike, it wasn’t the show at the deli counter)…but that didn’t even compare to what I witnessed at the Bleecker Street Theatre. You were absolutely hilarious and I did not want the show to end.  I read in the NY Times review about your “perfect delivery” and if there was a better word than perfect, I would use it. You made my girlfriend laugh harder than I have ever seen her when you started talking about your bear escape plan was like receiving the parachute in gym class for sky diving (it’s not working but it’s building team skills!). And your karate pose to attack the Jackal in your room was hysterical! Your skill-set is much more than just making English muffin pizzas and microwaving hot chocolate.

I have all of your CD’s, join your mailing list, read your secret public journal, “friended” you on Myspace and Facebook, and seen all of your TV specials and appearances and a part of me expected you to perform a lot of old, recycled jokes but that didn’t happen. I was surprised about how fresh your material was (you’ve been holding out on us for years!) I was also surprised about how open and honest you were about your life. For the other, non-Mike Birbiglia readers out there, Mike speaks a lot about his personal issues, including his difficulty with R.E.M. behavioral disorder, relationship issues, anger issues, etc. and there was not a moment of awkwardness during these moments. (Back to Mike) You were not ashamed or embarrassed to talk about anything you did in the past, and I feel that audience appreciated that. Whenever you told a potentially humiliating story, you were able to bounce right back with a joke to dispel any tension in the room. So no Mike, I do not feel you are the king at “making awkward situations even more awkward.

Based on the articles and television segments on your show, I thought that you would mostly discuss your sleepwalking during the show, but you were brilliantly able to give a biographical monologue of may different aspects of your life and tie every story back into the sleepwalking at the end, well done!

You even included me and my girlfriend in the act (to the slightest degree). If you remember, Mike, I was at the show 4PM show on Sunday, November 23rd, and you were explaining your bear encounter in Alaska. You were demonstrating how you finally faced your fear and “gathered enough courage to tell the guide to do something”…you know the (clap clap) “YA YA YA.” You screamed your last “YA” right in front of us and then opened up your hands and apologized for the not-so-violation of personal space.

I don’t want to give too much about the show away, so I will just encourage all my readers in the New York metro area to see this play. You will NOT be disappointed. As Mike would say, it’s a great moment…like someone giving you pizza. I know times are tough in the economy, and you may only have enough money to see one show this holiday season. But if you see Mike Birbiglia, you will get your money’s worth. I have been laughing to Mike’s jokes for a long time now (I feel like since High School) and he has earned everything he has acheived. I am glad that Nathan Lane decided to produce this show, I hope this finally gets Mike the recognition he deserves. Ira Glass of “This American Life” said of this show, “Catch him before he gets too famous.” He may not be famous yet, but Mike if you would like to leave a comment, you would officially be the most famous person to leave a comment on this blog.