The program for “Colin Quinn Unconstitutional” claims the show is “a new comedy.” That’s a bit misleading.
Sure, there’s a director (Rebecca A. Trent) and basic staging: a lectern, a kind of balcony for important addresses to the audience, and bare-bones multimedia with modest, unfussy slides. But the show has no story or characters. Quinn, in a tie and untucked shirt — bravo, costume designer Alexis Forte! — plays himself, or at least the public version of himself, and delivers jokes. Good ones, too.
Because while “Unconstitutional” is disappointing theater, it’s fun stand-up. And the intimate Barrow Street Theatre, rearranged so the audience sits on three sides, is a much better fit for stand-up than the Broadway venue that hosted Quinn’s previous outing, 2010’s “Long Story Short.” The lower ticket price — $45 — is also more in sync with what we get.
The idea here is that Quinn uses the Constitution as a launchpad for punch lines, in no obvious order. He starts with the preamble, moves on to Article III, section 1 (judicial power), retreats back to Article II, section 1 (Congress), and so on.
Quinn is hard to pigeonhole, and claims to form opinions on a case-by-case basis: “I’m pro–gay marriage, pro-gun, pro–death penalty and pro-choice. What do they have in common? Anti-overcrowding.”
But he doesn’t even fit in his own boxes, calling the NRA “psychotic” and mocking its suggestion to make schools safer by arming teachers.
Unlike many comedians, Quinn never chortles at his own wisecracks. Yet while he doesn’t smile, he never comes across as unfriendly or hostile. Instead, he has the simmering outrage of a New York Everyman whose common sense is challenged on a daily basis.
Some of the most extended riffs are about racism and class, and Quinn is particularly good about the second. About the different ways to protest, he notes, “If you’re rich, ‘I’m going to call my senator.’ If you’re middle class, ‘I’m going to write to my congressman.’ And if you’re poor, ‘I’m going to yell at the TV.’ ”
And a certain Boss is brought down to Earth: “If Bruce Springsteen was really the working man’s musician, why does he have a 4 1/2-hour concert on a Tuesday night?”
Who cares how this connects to the Constitution? It’s not like this is theater and Quinn needs to stick to a plot.