by Adam F. Cohen . . .
Comedian, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer and A Good Cry podcast host Michael Cruz Kayne brings his amazingly entertaining new one-man show, Sorry For Your Loss, to the Minetta Lane Theatre.
It’s rare to see a comedian open for himself. But Kayne strides onstage, in a hoodie and jeans, telling us to turn off our phones and introducing himself. Part stand-up, physics, math, and English lesson, Sorry For Your Loss is a meditative, informative, moving, often-funny experience of grief, grieving, parenting and how we handle our grief and other people’s.
Kayne sets things up with how he got into stand up ($5,000) at his first gig – which was more fulfilling than attempting to break into musical theater after completing his degree at N.Y.U. He notes his background – half-Filipino, weaving in genuinely funny commentary about the differences in religion, food. We learn about his desire to not have children – even whispering about it to his wife while she sleeps.
Alas, Kayne and his wife procreate. And herein starts his meditation on grief, grieving, Twitter, and how no one really knows how to handle loss – especially that of a child. Even funeral homes don’t get it right – in one of the evening’s best moments – we get visual evidence of this truth. And truthfully, we are all going to die. On the surface we all try to accept death. But corporations and individuals, just don’t handle other people’s deaths all that well.
Kayne builds subtly to big emotional moments effortlessly and is self-deprecatingly, gently hilarious. Sorry For Your Loss is that rare thing – smart, funny, warm, moving and only 75 minutes long.
Kayne is giftedly funny, honest, and forthright. Clearly not an easy tale to tell – losing his son after 33 days. He presents a wise, engaging introspective evening – that on some level must be healing – with touches of tears, laughter, and truth.
Tickets and more information at https://www.audible.com/ep/minettalane The show is extended through June 10th.
Photos: Jeremy Daniel
