BWW Blog: Adam Brandner - Bo Burnham Proves that Art is Most Certainly Not Dead

Young comedian, Bo Burnham, came to Houston last night and performed at the Wortham Center. When I bought my front row ticket for the show (at a reasonable price), I had no idea what to expect. I had seen his Comedy Central special: Words, Words, Words. This, however, was a new show entitled: "what." His previous work was hilarious and even thought provoking and I was hoping "what." would deliver the same kind of material. From his book of poems, to his original songs, to his flawless, original pantomime the show was a smash hit full of laughs. The audience even gave him a standing ovation calling for an encore as well.

His style is a rejection of the norms of comedy. I particularly enjoyed his transitions from piece to piece as he mocked the awkwardness of moving around the stage. The show was simple. On stage, all Burnham needed was a stool, a piano, and a blank paged book he would pretend to read from. Burnham was completely unpredictable and kept the audience guessing throughout the show. At one point, a sound effect went off mistakenly and Burnham lashed out at the sound technician for an uncomfortable moment. It was all a part of the show. In fact, Burnham in reality is such a nice guy, that he invited two people from the back of the orchestra to fill two empty seats in the front row. Burnham also gave fans the opportunity for a photo after the show, which I had not seen before from a comedian. Most of the theatregoers stayed behind for the photo. Highlights of the night included his duet between the analytical left brain and the emotional right brain. I also really enjoyed his poems, aided by wind chimes, which were short but memorable. His new book of poems, Egghead, is now available in stores. After reading the preview on Amazon.com, I will be picking it up.

After his encore, Burnham came into the audience and met with the people for a moment. I was one of the lucky ones that got a handshake. For his age, he was really skilled at controlling the audience. His comedy show was refreshing because it was so unique and had so many layers to it. The 90 minute show could have went on for another 90 minutes and I still would have been wanting more. Burnham delivered a hilarious, original, and unique show. Come back to Houston anytime, Bo!