Waiting for “860,” Billy Crystal’s brilliant one man show to start at the Imperial Theater, I waded into the depths of the orchestra section.
Billy brought out the heavy hitters: Robert De Niro on the aisle sitting in front of Spike Lee and behind former Yankee manager Joe Torre. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lee were across the aisle from Steve Martin and Martin Short. Jimmy and Margo Nederlander, Judith Light, Andrea Martin, and Jimmy Fallon were mixed in the group, along with Conan O’Brien, comedian Jeff Ross, director Andrew Jarecki, Bobby Cannavale and Rose Byrne and Kelli O’Hara. Senator Adam Schiff was seen before the lights went down. It was that kind of night.
(Craig Susser, of the famed Craig’s in LA, came east just for the occasion — and maybe to scout out a new location for his eatery’s expansion. Cross fingers.)
“860” was the house number of Billy Crystal’s home in the Pacific Palisades where he raised his family for forty plus years until it burned down to the ground in 2025. Everything was gone, all his mementos and personal belongings, all the little things that provoke memories. This is basically his therapy session.
The one man show brings back to Broadway a magic I haven’t seen in a long time, a good deal thanks to director Scott Ellis, who recalls Mike Nichols’ best work. The 100 minute monologue is beautifully written as Billy — speaking from the heart at age 78 — looks back at his early days as a comic, the work it took to settle down at 860, the investment of love and family, only to see it take some tragic turns.
At the same time, when things looked like they couldn’t get worse, Billy loses his best friend, Rob Reiner, although the circumstances are not laid out, just the nature of what it meant.
It’s not all tears. Billy’s story of his first gig, opening for the rock group Blood Sweat & Tears, is beyond hilarious. Lead singer David Clayton Thomas simply refused to perform, given many chances, leaving Crystal to entertain an unwelcoming audience. But he did it, and his career was launched.
The story proceeds chronologically, from the TV show “Soap” to meeting Reiner on “All in the Family,” starting a family wife Janice, and on to a movie career, plus hosting the Oscars, and really having a great life until it all goes up in flames. The foundation of the monologue is that everything material can be taken away in 15 minutes, but having a loving family will bring solace.
Not that it’s all tears and memories. “860” is very, very funny. The first two thirds of it bring peels of laughter and knowing applause in the middle of crazy but true anecdotes. There’s not much that’s political, save for a jab at Donald Trump comparing him to Richard Nixon, and zetz at Kash Patel. Otherwise, the play is about the personal.
Some highlights in this victory lap (because it is one, despite the losses): Billy spent more time than we knew with the retired Mickey Mantle. His anecdotes about Muhammad Ali inspiring Billy’s imitation of the Greatest are elucidating, as is a peak into the filming of “When Harry Met Sally” with Meg Ryan, and a tip of the hat to Jack Nicholson. I was also surprised how many times Crystal said he was confused with another Billy from Long Island, Joel.
Tonight’s performance concluded with onstage bows from Janice, and the couple’s two adult daughters — something I doubt will be done again. It was shmaltzy but made sense. Here is the proof of survival, at least for now, in this fragile construct we call life.
PS I hope the producers can get Tony voters in before the limited run ends right after New Year’s. This deserves a special solo prize.
