Review: Balancing Comedy and Sentimentality, Ana Gasteyer Delights in Her Café Carlyle Debut

Café Carlyle is a low-ceilinged room with walls covered in paintings that lend credence to the illusion of being locked in another world, a jazzy rendition of 80 years ago that's all glitz and glam.

It is in this room that Ana Gasteyer performed, making her debut at the venue. There was an immediate clash between the buttoned-up atmosphere and the by-no-means-buttoned-up performance Gasteyer gave. The SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE alum's show, directed by Julian Fleisher, is, at its heart, a comedy show, sometimes irreverent, sometimes touching, and always laugh-inducing.

"[There are] not really so many ties. I was counting on a few more ties," she began her show, gently teasing the audience and adding in a quip about the Upper East Side. Said jibes were a recurring theme of the show. Like anyone who has spent any amount of time in New York, Gasteyer is definitely aware of the stereotypes surrounding the Upper East Side and its residents, and was not afraid to play with them.

An early number in her set was "I'm Hip" by Bob Dorough and Dave Frishberg, a hilarious song that pulls in all sorts of aspects of pop culture to describe a truly "hip" singer. She followed with Stephen Merritt's "The Book of Love" in a touching tribute to her husband before switching gears again and jumping back into humor.

The whole set list played this way, a jumbled mix of fast-paced, funny songs mixed with slower, more thoughtful ones, to the point where it felt a bit like emotional whiplash, but it was done so well you almost wanted to thank her for the experience. That balance was surely achieved due in part to a stellar ensemble of musicians lead by musical director Tedd Firth (also on piano), with Jeremy Chatsky (bass), Richard Feridun (guitar), Greg Thymius (saxophone and reeds), and David Berger (drums).

Halfway through the show, Gasteyer sang "A Proper Cup of Coffee," by R.P. Weston and Bert Lee, a staple in her cabaret repertoire which truly showcased her talent--- not because it forced her to hold high notes or really showed off her range, but because the song is fast-paced and full of nonsense sounds, which Gasteyer, obviously a natural comedian, pulled off very well.

The show is a combination of concert and stand-up. Gasteyer sang, of course, but she also told stories, made jokes, and at one point wandered among the audience looking for a "work wife" and engaging members in conversation.

Not every joke landed well and not every audience interaction ended in laughs. There were a few times when it was clear there were people in the Carlyle audience who weren't happy with what Gasteyer had said or done, how she'd drawn them into the show. But if you're not pushing buttons, are you really providing comedy? Gasteyer took that risk and it paid off. It is, from start to finish, a delight.