Colin Quinn: Long Story Short

Helen Hayes Theatre, NYC

Through Jan. 8

When a stand-up comedian ventures onto Broadway, he usually feels the requirement to give his show a “theme.” Such is the case with Colin Quinn: Long Story Short, in which the veteran performer professes to tell the history of the world. In 75 minutes, no less.  

But while Quinn dutifully fulfills his self-imposed requirement by proceeding chronologically in his monologue from the caveman era to the present day, the real attraction is that he’s very, very funny.

The show, now being given a limited Broadway run after a successful downtown engagement, boasts another marquee presence in the form of its director, none other than Jerry Seinfeld. (His bio simply describes him as “a comedian who resides in New York City with his wife and three children.”)

Best known for his five-year stint on Saturday Night Live where he manned the “Weekend Update” chair, Quinn brings a surly Irish brusqueness to his humor. Whether discussing Darwin’s theory of evolution (“We’re the survivors, but obviously not the fittest”) or the excesses of the Roman Catholic Church (“like a Death Row Records release party in the ‘80s”), he gives his mock history lesson a decided edge.

With so many comics delivering tired routines about relationships or Sarah Palin, it’s a relief to hear witty gags about such relatively weighty topics as the fall of the British Empire (they “overfranchised”) and the infighting of African countries (“like six Brooklyn high schools letting out at the same time”), even if he occasionally does stray into delivering the sort of routine observational riffs that are nightly fodder in comedy clubs.

His commentary is accompanied by historical and other images pertinent to his topics that are snazzily projected on a giant video screen, while the set nicely evokes the evening’s theme with its Greek amphitheater-style steps and Romanesque columns.

Quinn’s last solo outing, Colin Quinn—An Irish Wake, was similarly funny, but tended towards self-indulgent rambling. He’s clearly benefited from Seinfeld’s influence, as this show features tight pacing and a steady procession of hilarious one-liners.

Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44^th St., 212-239-6200. www.telecharge.com.