I first discovered Kristin Schaal’s unique work on the HBO hit comedy “Flight of the Conchords”. I was immediately impressed by her ability to steal every scene she is in without detracting from the casual ensemble nature of this adorable and quirky show. Tonight, I saw her perform her full act for a very enthusiastic, sold-out crowd at The Lakeshore Theater and I was absolutely not disappointed. Alternating between her ultra breathy, baby voice and a martini-dry potty mouth, she takes the big-eyed child woman and dumb blonde stereotypes and thoroughly stomps them to bits. Some of the surreal sketches that I really loved were her reading of her pet caterpillars diary that ends with the caterpillars suicide because he has not yet turned into a butterfly, and the really hysterical audience participation skit “Win a Date with Kristin Contest” where she ends up getting drunk and deciding she’s better off as a loner after all. Another extremely hilarious part of the show includes a hot phone sex conversation between Pocahontas and Captain Smith.
Kristin is a graduate of Northwestern University and has had many small parts on television including stints on “Law and Order” and “Ugly Betty”. With an endearing quality all her own and razor sharp comic sensibility it is only a matter of time till Kristin has her own show on HBO and I can’t wait to see it!
