Review: Mike Birbiglia’s Minneapolis show was designed to rock the funny bone — and touch the heart

Not many comedians open their set by sharing how their father recently had a massive stroke. Then again, there aren’t too many stand-ups like Mike Birbiglia. In his films, Netflix specials and live performances, he has always been keen on creating emotional moments that go beyond making his audiences laugh.

That trend continued at the State Theatre on Saturday with a show that was all about trying to make connections, both with an ailing dad who struggles with showing emotions, and with a 9-year-old daughter who has reached the age where she’s hard to impress.

The show was full of sentimental stories, like how his dad once gave him a Curious George doll, one of the few moments of tenderness they ever shared, and how he and his wife of 16 years worry about how they’ll explain the concept of war to their child. But Birbiglia’s willingness to show his sensitive side doesn’t prevent him from going dark.

He joked that he kind of wishes that his father had suffered a stroke earlier, if only because it has kept him from constantly complaining at full volume.

“Jesus was the the first to have a martyr complex,” the 46-year-old comedian said, dressed in dark jeans and one casual shirt slipped over another. “My dad was the second.”

Religion was the target for much of the coarser humor, even while he was sharing how he was selected as one of the comedians to have an audience with Pope Francis earlier this year.

Birbiglia seemed to struggle at times filling an entire 80-minute set with the family theme. Or maybe he just figured the audience needed some breathing room between the heavy stuff. In either case, there were amusing anecdotes about graduating from the D.A.R.E. program in the ‘80s and the escalating price of coffee. Smart jokes, but they sometimes felt like filler.

At one point, he veered into political humor, chiding senators who refused to step down when they should. Afterward, he said that his dad prefers that kind of material.

“He doesn’t like it when I talk about personal stuff,” he said.

If Dad could see how much people were moved and entertained by this son Saturday, he might change his mind.

Birbiglia is also performing at 6 p.m. Sunday at the State Theatre. Tickets ($39-$69) are available at hennepinarts.org.