What they’re saying: live arts in Brooklyn this week: March 5

A roundup of Brooklyn’s cultural offerings this week, from comedy to theater to music to art, and what critics are saying about them.

March 5, 2024 Evan Rosen

Photo: EastVille

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Kings County Comedy and Saturday Night Live! @ Eastville Comedy Club
Comedy
Eastville Comedy Club, 487 Atlantic Ave, Boerum Hill
March 9 and 10 and every Saturday/Sunday

“Saturday Night Live!” takes place every (you guessed it) Saturday night at 6pm and features a curated lineup of the borough’s best comedians, with an open mic from 2 to 4pm beforehand. And on Sunday nights, Comedian Mike Toohey’s stand-up shows at Eastville and “Kings County Comedy” are supposed to be one of the best shows in town. There are lots of open mics at Eastville all week.

“Eastville was established in Manhattan in 2008, and after 10 wonderful years… it was time to upgrade their location and move to the artistically creative borough of Brooklyn. They’re an intimate 120 seat comedy club located right by the Barclays Center, and downtown Brooklyn’s nightlife district.” – New York Theatre Guide

“Mike Toohey’s comedy combines the wry sarcasm of a Native New Yorker with the empathetic lens of an absurdist. A child of divorce from a half Colombian, half Irish family, Toohey’s stand-up reflects a quick-witted take on life, culture and relationships.” – BestComedyTickets.com

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Crit Night @ Ace Hotel
Film, Music, Experimental Art
Ace Hotel, 252 Schermerhorn St., Boerum Hill
March 6 @ 7 pm

Pioneer Works, an artist and scientist-led cultural center in Red Hook, has teamed up with the Ace Hotel to put on a series showcasing their artists-in-residence and their works-in-progress. Crit night will feature a sneak-peak of a new film by visual artist Erin Johnson and an improvised set of music by the free jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements.

“[Johnson’s] short film set in Cayo Santiago, a small islet in the Puerto Rican archipelago, where 2,000 free-ranging rhesus macaques live in the longest-running mammalian field site in the world.” – Vadim Rizov, Filmmaker Magazine

“A free jazz band rooted in punk ethos. Individually, these folks have made some of the most creative and challenging music of the past decade.” – Lars Gotrich, NPR, on Irreversible Entanglements

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The Love Hard Tour feat. Keyshia Cole, Trey Songz, Jaheim and K. Michelle @ Barclays Center
Music, Concerts
Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave, Fort Greene
March 10

Keyshia Cole, known for hit “Love,” “Let It Go,” “Heaven Sent” and “I Remember,” will be performing with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Trey Songz and others in this 24-night R&B tour. The group stops for one night only in Brooklyn this Sunday. The Barclays Center, which is hosting the Nets for the rest of the week, is goint to be bumpin’ on Sunday night.

“This tour is a true labor of love and I’m looking forward to connecting with my fans, sharing new memories and healing through music.” – Keyshia Cole.

“While Keyshia Cole’s presence was nothing short of mesmerizing, the crowd’s thunderous response to Trey Songz was unquestionable. It felt like he was the unofficial headliner, earning the title of “Mr. Steal Your Girl” with his undeniable stage charisma.” – Abby Knights, The Hype Magazine

Brooklyn Artists Studio Tour
Art, Tours
Tri Art Studios, 183 Lorraine Street, Carroll Gardens
March 9, 1 to 3:30 pm, Tickets $90

Art curator John Gagné will lead a tour on Saturday showcasing studios and artists working in painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography and assemblage. Discussions will focus on their creative process, workspace and the art itself. Gagné is the founder of Gagné Contemporary, a gallery focused on emerging and mid-career New York artists, and he also serves as an advisor to galleries and collectors throughout the city.

“It is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors, build the creative community, and support local artists.” – Amy Williams, speaking with Hyperallergic on Gagné’s previous “Gowanus Open Studios” tours.

“Gagné Contemporary works with artists across New York City, USA and Toronto, Canada. Part of an art advisory that includes gallery shows, studio visits, artist representation and a curatorial practice.” –1stDibs

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The Hunt @ St. Ann’s Warehouse
Theatre
St. Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn Bridge Park, 45 Water Street, Dumbo
Performances now through March 24

Quickly gaining buzz throughout the city, this adaptation of Thomas Vinterberg’s 2013 film follows the story of a quiet teacher, played byTobias Menzies, who is wrongfully accused of molesting several of his students.

This British production directed by Rupert Goold and adapted by David Farr has the stylings of a horror film, including ritualistic dancing, sacrifices and jump scares.Menzies’ acclaimed performance is considered to be the main draw.

“Let it be known that the British import “The Hunt” — about a man ostracized, and worse, for a crime he didn’t commit — does not really err toward subtlety.” — Elisabeth Vincenteli, The New York Times

“It’s worth seeing for Menzies alone – he gives a stunning performance. I was riveted!” – E. Evans, NYC
“Menzies is a great actor. I suppose if anyone is equipped to take over this role from the great Mads Mikkelsen (who won Best Actor at Cannes for his performance in the film) then Menzies fits the bill.” – Sarah F., New York

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The Second City
Comedy
64 N 9th St., Williamsburg
Shows every night

The historic improv theater trained the likes of Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Mike Myers and Tina Fey, has just opened its first ever NYC location in Williamsburg. Aside from comedy shows, it also offers training and classes for those new to improv or looking to take their comedy skills to the next level.

“An hour and a half of delicately prepared, wonderfully delivered, professional comedy that you can’t get anywhere else in NYC.” – Christine Covode

“The founders of Second City, the storied comedy theater, took its name from essays by The New Yorker writer A.J. Liebling, who skewered Chicago as inferior to his hometown. Now, more than 60 years later, Second City has found a home in New York.” – Julia Jacobs, The New York Times

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“You never know where the night is going to go, because the audience is part of the show.”
– Rachel Dratch, student of The Second City, Chicago, speaking on the TODAY show.

Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys
Art
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Pkwy, Prospect Heights
Now through July 7

“Giants” is the first major exhibition from The Dean Collection, founded by Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean and Alicia Keys in 2014. The collection showcases some of the couples’ world-class holdings. The name of the exhibition refers to the legendary artists it showcases, as well as the impact of contemporary artists, including Derrick Adams, Arthur Jafa, and Meleko Mokgosi.

“A celebration of Blackness and an ode to living life monumentally.” – Izzy Baskette, Thrillist

“The Deans consider all of the artists in the show as giants. They have these very strong relationships with the artists that they collect. It’s not about transaction. It’s about being stewards and advocates and supporters of these artists,” Brooklyn Museum curator Kimberli Gant told Time Out New York.