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JIMMY TINGLE
IN THE PROMISED LAND


According to Jimmy Tingle, the Promised Land is " a sense of freedom, " a proverbial golden ring sought through the ages by ancient Jews, the Pilgrims, and immigrants today. His new one-man show is dubbed In the Promised Land, in part because he’s found a place where he can enjoy unrestricted freedom: his own theater. Jimmy Tingle’s Off Broadway is the newly revamped former Elm Street Theatre in Davis Square that — replete with a flashy mini-marquee — the performer now calls home.

But Tingle has also found an inner spiritual freedom, one that authorizes him to be funny again. Following his two seasons as the Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes II, he, like many of his comic peers, struggled in the wake of September 11. The thoughtful satire of In the Promised Land helps us to recognize the shambles of the world. And it’s an unsurprising approach when you consider Tingle’s history of social and political activism. His earnestness is palpable when he scrunches his brows over a pleading puppy-dog expression and recites a poem — yes, his poem — about post–September 11 grieving. The sadness makes the humor that much more touching.

Tingle explains that from an early age he wanted to be a Jewish comedian — a bit of a reach given that he’s Catholic. He does manage to go long stretches exuding a Jackie Mason air, complete with anxious gesticulations and hyperbolic chutzpah. But he’s more endearing when he drops the mimic shtick and morphs back into his regular self, in all of its self-depreciating Boston Catholic glory. He’s as candid as Spalding Gray when he recounts the sluggish trajectory of his career. As he sees it, once you’ve made an appearance on national television, you can get a gig anywhere on the Red Line. But Tingle, who was born and raised in a political family in Cambridge, is clearly comfortable — if not thrilled — to be home.

The best comic bits include an anachronistic account of God’s unleashing the Ten Plagues on the Egyptians, a few hearty jabs at the Catholic Church, and a confession that since September 11 he ardently prays for President Bush. This last he is still trying to reconcile with his staunch liberal sensibility. Some of the material treads on worn territory: he notes the ludicrousness of expiration dates on bottled water and the absurdity of airport interviews passing as security checks.

Those audience members who aren’t familiar with Tingle’s repertoire will probably appreciate the 60 Minutes II clips that screen on television monitors. For the rest of us, these broadcasts could seem narcissistic, but given Tingle’s modesty, it’s more likely he needs them to remind him how far he’s come.

(Jimmy Tingle in the Promised Land runs through December 31 at Jimmy Tingle’s Off Broadway, 255 Elm Street in Davis Square. Call 617-591-1616.)

BY LIZA WEISSTUCH

Issue Date: December 19 - 26, 2002
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