‘860’: Billy Crystal’s laughter and loss

‘860’: Billy Crystal. Photo: Avery Brunkus.

860
Written and performed by Billy Crystal
Directed by Scott Ellis
Through February 14, 2027
Imperial Theatre
249 W. 45th St., New York, NY
https://www.billycrystal860.com/

Billy Crystal doesn’t have to work hard to command an audience’s attention and make everyone laugh. After all, the venerable comedian from Long Island has been entertaining Americans for more than 50 years. From his early days as a stand-up comic to playing a gay character on TV’s “Soap” and his stint on “Saturday Night Live,” Mr. Crystal became a household name. Add countless hit films, nine appearances as host of the Academy Awards and Broadway performances, and it’s easy to see why he is a national comic treasure.

When Mr. Crystal walks onstage at the Imperial Theatre in 860, he seems like an old friend. He has the audience laughing almost immediately, and his comic energy never lets up.

A home filled with memories

860 is a one-man show about the loss of Mr. Crystal’s longtime Pacific Palisades home in the January 2025 wildfires. The title refers to the house where he and his wife Janice lived for 46 years and raised their two daughters.

The devastating Southern California wildfires destroyed countless homes and upended families’ lives. Although many celebrities lost their houses, the destruction extended far beyond the rich and famous. Ordinary families also watched decades of memories turn to ashes as images of burned-out neighborhoods shocked the country.

Mr. Crystal recalls how the fires approached his neighborhood and how he and Janice fled their home. Then he looks back to 1979, when they first discovered the house. Yet the one-act show is more than a Broadway requiem for his destroyed home.

Humor, loss and early career

Mr. Crystal moves between humor and heartbreak as he recalls his early comedy career, Hollywood friendships and family life. There are plenty of laughs along the way, especially when he revisits his first experiences in show business.

His previous Broadway solo show, 700 Sundays, focused on growing up on Long Island and his relationship with his father, who died when Mr. Crystal was just 15. In contrast, 860 explores his career beginnings, setbacks and triumphs.

He recalls opening for the band Blood, Sweat & Tears in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the early 1970s, where he faced a tough, unreceptive audience. The band’s volatile lead singer, David Clayton-Thomas, refused to perform at one point. As a result, Mr. Crystal had to return to the stage and keep the restless crowd entertained. It was a trial by fire that taught him how to win over a hostile audience while sharpening his stand-up and storytelling skills.

Encounters with celebrities

Mr. Crystal also recalls friendships with Muhammad Ali, Robin Williams, Jack Nicholson, Howard Cosell and Rob Reiner. He shares anecdotes about studying under a young Martin Scorsese at NYU and meeting baseball icon Mickey Mantle. His impersonations of some of these luminaries crack up the audience.

What’s more, he talks about the famous scene at Katz’s Deli in When Harry Met Sally, the one where Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm. He also shares plenty of behind-the-scenes Hollywood stories and jokes. However, I don’t want to spoil the fun by revealing too many punchlines.

Laughter through tears

Billy Crystal’s greatest gift is his ability to sustain “laughter through tears” throughout the show. It’s the tradition of finding humor in life’s hardships. Many Jewish comedians of different generations, from Jackie Mason and Henny Youngman to Joan Rivers, used variations of this technique. They found humor in self-deprecation and dark subjects, although each approached comedy differently.

Mr. Crystal builds an entire show around a tragic event. Yet he still finds plenty to laugh about, from antisemitic “restricted” country clubs to Ronald Reagan’s funeral.

At 78, Mr. Crystal has spent a lifetime making people laugh. In 860, he shows us that despite losing his home of nearly 50 years and many longtime friends, he can still joke about aging and his own mortality. He even wonders whether he or his wife will die first.

Love and family matter most

Despite all the tales of his glory days, raucously hilarious celebrity impersonations and one-liners, Mr. Crystal ultimately reminds us that love and family matter most. The memories he shares with Janice and their two daughters, along with the setbacks and laughter they experienced together, give 860 its emotional heart.

Director Scott Ellis paces everything perfectly, allowing Mr. Crystal to keep the audience riveted for 100 glorious minutes.

860 is one of the best Broadway solo shows in many years.

Published November 4, 2026
Reviewed at press performance on October 29, 2026.

‘860’: Billy Crystal. Photo: Avery Brunkus.