From Broadway's Hairspray and The Addams Family to her Emmy-nominated work on Feud and her current hysterical turn on Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, Jackie Hoffman is one of the most recognizable and reliably miserable comedic voices in American theatre. Luckily for us, her signature kvetching is returning to the live stage at Joe’s Pub (November 6–29, with a special show on her birthday November 29).
Hoffman is reprising her acclaimed solo show, A Miserable Evening with Jackie Hoffman, which showcases her tragicomic genius through original songs and monologues that dissect the general state of the world (and her career). The evening is directed by Michael Schiralli, with musical direction by Ross Patterson.
Whether she’s lamenting the indignities of show business, celebrating the joys of Jewish-themed holidays, or offering a truly miserable take on modern life, Hoffman remains one of the most hilariously bitter performers working today. And frankly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Playbill sat down with the beloved Broadway comedian to talk about how misery loves company, especially of the theatrical variety. Go see her, before she yells at you.
The show title, A Miserable Evening with Jackie Hoffman, sets a delightfully grim tone. What specific "dark days" or current isms are you tackling with your signature dark humor in this show, and why is laughter the best coping mechanism for the worst-case scenario?
Jackie Hoffman: This show deals more with current events than any other show I’ve done, because things now are so ghastly. And it’s changing fast. The show premieres two days after election day for mayor of New York City and I have to address that, plus, being Jewish is a huge part of my identity so I’m chomping down hard on antisemitism. In a satiric nasty comic way of course, and as always I’m keeping the self-deprecating self-loathing Jackie trademarks. Humor is the key to surviving anything. I’m not capable of explaining why.
Your performances are known for their blend of singing, stand-up, and character work. For a newcomer, how would you describe the unique "flavor" of your comedy? Are there new/original songs or characters that returning fans look forward to kvetching along with?
There are lots of new songs, and one of them is sung by my character from Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Vice Principal McGee. Does my comedy have a “flavor”? I’d say it tastes like an antibiotic.
Joe's Pub is a legendary venue for cabaret and solo shows. What is it about that space and the New York audience that brings out your most uncensored, "character comedienne" energy?
It’s just the coolest room in the city, and “Jackie Hoffman Live at Joe’s Pub” became a thing.”
You've had scene-stealing roles on TV like Only Murders in the Building and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and your stage work often includes improvisation. How does working on a structured TV/film set inform or contrast with the freedom you have writing and performing your own solo material?
The word freedom says it all. No constraints, just me saying whatever the hell I want. And I just censored myself answering this question because I would have rather used another word. I’ve been fortunate to have more freedom than most in restrictive projects, because I’ve contributed/improvised lines that the writer and director let me keep. It has also, as you know, gotten me into trouble. In my own shows, it's me, me, me. I’m the star, dammit!
With the November run quickly selling out and more dates coming, what message do you have for the audience members who are coming to spend their evening with you? What do you hope they take away from all the misery?
This is what I hope they say on the way out: “She’s given me a lot to think about. I never looked at things that way, and it sure was funny. I hurt from laughing so hard. And she didn’t look fat.
