November 16–23, 2000

six pick

Billy Connolly

To classify Scotland’s most riotous performer as merely actor, playwright or stand-up comic is to rip him from a unified front of sorts. Billy Connolly is an eternally frantic, always irreverent jack-of-all trades — a hooliganish burring cross between the studious Steve Martin and an observational Jerry Seinfeld boosted on crank and Wild Turkey. Since his wild times of the early ’70s (after breaking free from the Humblebums, a band he shared with Gerry "Baker Street" Rafferty whose manic rock lifestyle was essayed in last year’s film Still Crazy), Connolly found renown throughout the late ’70s and ’80s in Britain for his frenzied tales of ordinary existence; fiery one-man theatricals that make Eric Bogosian look limp in comparison. He’s calmed down since those days, finding time for an acting career that includes memorable turns as the Mr. to Judi Dench in Mrs. Brown, a gay tennis player in Stanley Tucci’s The Impostors and, of course, appearing in regular American TV roles on Pearl, Head Of The Class and his own ABC series Billy.

—a.d. amorosi

Nov. 22, 24 and 25, 8 p.m., The Painted Bride Art Center 230 Vine St., 215-925-9914, paintedbride.org.