Broadway Review: Billy Crystal: 860; The Imaginary Invalid

The two most recent Broadway shows to open, Billy Crystal: 860 and a new adaptation of Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid, have the same theme: laughter is the best medicine. But the dosages vary and the resultant benefits are not similar. Crystal’s solo show combines tragedy with humor for a pathos-and-chuckle-filled evening while the Moliere never finds its rhythm despite individual bright spots.

Billy Crystal in 860.
Credit: Avery Brunkus

The numbers in the title of Crystal’s autobiographical effort refer to the address of the Pacific Palisades home that he lost in the massive Los Angeles wildfire of 2025. In 90 intermissionless minutes, the 78-year-old comedian relates the story of the house and his career, taking up his story after the events of 700 Sundays, his previous Broadway show from 2004 chronicling his childhood and relationship with his father. We begin with the star reliving that fateful day when a few backyard embers and historically high winds led to an out-of-control inferno rapidly approaching and eventually consuming his home. The effective video design by Hana S. Kim and Kylee Loera displays news and I-phone footage as Crystal recreates driving away from the blaze in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Then, we travel back to 1978 when Crystal was starring on the TV series Soap and buying his first West Coast house which had its own fascinating show-biz history.

Billy Crystal in 860.
Credit: Avery Brunkus

Scott Pask’s homey set recreates Crystal’s office where each picture and memento leads to a story, ranging from his riotous big-arena concert debut opening for a volatile Blood, Sweat and Tears to joining the cast of Saturday Night Live to hosting the Oscars nine times. We get the lowdown on filming iconic comic scenes from When Harry Met Sally (the memorable “I’ll have what she’s having” sequence was a last-minute addition.) Crystal also offers heartfelt tributes to his friends Robin Williams and Rob Reiner, both passing away under heartbreaking circumstances. There’s an extended history of his unexpected kinship with Muhammad Ali who christened Crystal his “little brother” after the comic performed his imitation of the boxing champ in front of Ali. In the last portion of the show, Crystal recounts the crushing aftermath of the fiery disaster and finds a message of hope amid the charred debris. Director Scott Ellis seamlessly handles the transitions employing Jen Schriever’s warm lighting to shift the setting. Pask’s set elegantly and simply serves as a metaphor for the crushing fire as all of Crystal’s possessions slide away, leaving a bare stage. 

The beauty of the show is Crystal doesn’t seem to be performing. He’s just talking to us, sharing a devastating loss along with hilarious jokes, anecdotes and observations on marriage, parenting and aging as well as a few light yet sharp political jabs. 

My only quibble is the constant musical underscoring by sound designer Dan Moses Schreier. Every moment is unnecessarily punctuated with schmaltzy arrangements of obvious standards (“My Buddy” for the friendship segments, “I Could Write a Book” for vignettes full of career details.) When you have Crystal’s empathic and razor-sharp wit, you really don’t need unrelenting background music. Otherwise, this is one of the most heartfelt and moving solo shows in recent memory.

Bill Irwin, Dylan Baker, Rachel Bloom,
Ava Lalezarzadeh and Daniel Croix Henderson
in The Imaginary Invalid.
Credit: Joan Marcus

Like Crystal, Bill Irwin is a comic genius, but more of a physical clown than a verbal one. He can contort his body into intricate shapes, having produced hilarious hijinks in his unique pieces such as Largely New York and Full Moon. He’s also delivered incisive dramatic performances in works by Beckett and Albee. We do see bits of his mime-based magic in his adaptation of Moliere’s 17th century farce (Doug Skinner did the translation) on medical malpractice, The Imaginary Invalid (at Roundabout’s Todd Haimes Theater). But director Brandon J. Dirden fails to weave Irwin’s dexterous physicality and other individually sparkly moments from the rest of the ensemble into a cohesive whole. Unfortunately, this Invalid suffers by comparison with Jessie Berger’s smoother, Marx Brothers-inspired production of last season for Red Bull Theater.

Premiering in 1673, Invalid concerns extreme hypochondriac Argon whose conviction that he is beset with multiple maladies disrupts his household. He is determined to force his daughter Angelique to marry a nitwit medico so he will have a physician at his beck and call and he totally ignores the machinations of his avaricious wife Beline to fleece him of his money and his life. There are giggly moments here and there, but the necessary rhythm and pace are missing. 

Hiram Delgado, Bill Irwin, and
Brooks Ashmanskas in The Imaginary Invalid.
Credit: Joan Marcus

Plus too often, the company pushes the schtick too hard and the audience responds with a yawn rather than guffaws. At one point, Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as the saucy maid Toinette says to Irwin as Argon, “Do you wanna do the door bit again?,” referring to an earlier piece of business, calling our attention to the fact that the said physical gag wasn’t that funny to begin with. Hiram Delgado’s performance as the aforesaid dim doctor is another example of overreach. He garners some laughs with this buffoon’s nonsensical academic prattle, but it goes on too long. He’s much more effective as another doctor who enters later with a gigantic enema. That’s fast, funny and he’s off. Karen Perry’s costume for this character helps out tremendously, making a quick visual gag. The problem is her hilarious outfits are often funnier than the action. 

Brooks Ashmanskas as two different doctors has the good luck of having short, effective schtick and Dylan Baker is dignified in his role of Argon’s sensible brother, playing the straight man. Ava Lalezarzadeh and Daniel Croix Henderson at least make for an attractive pair of young lovers as Angelique and her true beloved Cleante. Bloom and Crystal A. Dickinson as the avaricious Beline make amusing first impressions, but then push too hard for their remaining stage time. Irwin himself is confined to a 17th century version of a Lazy-Boy recliner center stage for most of the play and only occasionally gets to physically cut loose. We are offered only a glimpse of Irwin’s brilliance as a clown and the prescription of laughter is not adequate. Nifty costumes from Perry, though, and a handsome set by Beowulf Boritt.

Billy Crystal: 860: Oct. 21—Feb. 14, 2027. Imperial Theater, 249 W. 45th St., NYC. Running time: 90 mins. with no intermission. telecharge.com

The Imaginary Invalid: Oct. 22—Nov. 22. Roundabout Theater Company at the Todd Haimes Theater, 227 W. 42nd St., NYC. Running time: 90 mins. with no intermission. roundabouttheater.org.