简介：在她的第一部喜剧中心一小时特别节目中，克里斯汀沙尔(KristenSchaal)在旧金山大展拳脚。她最出名的角色是乔恩斯图尔特(JonStewart)的《每日秀》(TheDailyShow)的记者，以及《飞行之歌》(FlightoftheConchords)的古怪粉丝。
I feel it's fair to say that I'm a pretty big fan of comedienne Kristen Schaal (or as she'd say on Flight of the Conchords, her Number One fan). I think as an actress, she enlivens just about any program that she is featured on with a wild sense of unpredictability. Seriously, you're never quite sure what to expect once Schaal pops onto the scene. In that sense, maybe her twisted concert performance at San Francisco's Fillmore Theater isn't so surprising. Schaal pulls a bit of a bait and switch, though, for those expecting a traditional routine. This is not a stand-up set, per se, but a more experimental piece of theater. Schaal attempts to deconstruct the notion of a comedy concert by presenting one that descends into disaster. I'm shocked to discover that some took the exercise seriously, it is clearly scripted to be the worst stand-up set ever. Whether or not you classify the experience as entertainment, however, might be the element that is up for debate."Kristen Schaal: Live at the Fillmore" is definitely a piece that will provoke a strong reaction one way or another. In that way, it succeeds much as it was intended. Half the performance plays rather conventionally, but then the piece devolves into a number of awkward bits, silent gaps, and off-stage tantrums. It is an interesting idea, I'm just not sure that it worked as well as it might. By being purposefully awful, does that make it great? Or does it just make it awful? Ultimately, that's where the audience will divide. Some will think that Schaal is a daring genius, some will be utterly perplexed. Truthfully, I stand somewhere in the middle. I liked the idea behind the experiment (and many of the associated skits such as Whoopee, the hospital finale, the dressing room meltdown), but much of what was meant to be awkward is just that. It's awkward and not particularly entertaining.Schaal surrounds herself with old friends. Her "Bob's Burgers" co-star Eugene Mirman is on hand as well as her old partner Kurt Braunohler as the emcee (if you haven't seen his mock game show "Bunk," look into it). But the success or failure of the piece rests on how willing you are to go with Schaal on this journey. I was certainly willing, but it's definitely not for everyone. If you pick up the DVD, though, (as opposed to watching this on-demand or on TV) there is quite a bit of additional material to round out the presentation. KGHarris, 4/13.