A HORSE WALKS INTO A BAR

Israeli stand-up comic Dov Greenstein's schtick involves hurling fast-paced insults at his audience in frenetic, hysterical tones. Joe Barrett transcends genre as he delivers a performance that is at once painful, annoying, revealing, heartbreaking, and completely riveting. Barrett is incredible as Dov's screaming and self-punishment peel layers from his life, making his routine more autobiographical than comical. Dov plunges into tales of childhood abuses by classmates and his uncompromising father; his pathetic mother, a Holocaust survivor who barely survived; and his life-altering week at a military youth camp, which he was forced to attend. From Dov's childhood acquaintance, now a district court justice and a witness to Dov's explosive patter, to members of the uneasy audience, Barrett makes all the characters compelling. This is beautifully crafted, original, disturbing, and unforgettable listening. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2017]