Some people just won’t act their age. Take comedians Nick Kroll, 38, and John Mulaney, 34, who make their Main Stem debuts as their septuagenarian alter egos, Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland, in Oh, Hello on Broadway. Following a national tour and brief run Off-Broadway last fall, the Alex Timbers-directed two-man play begins previews September 23, and opens October 10, at the Lyceum Theatre. Could Kroll and Mulaney be one tuna sandwich away from turning into the crusty characters they created?
How did you come up with Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland?
John Mulaney: The inspiration was a real-life Gil and George, but we don’t know their real names. We were walking around Strand Bookstore one afternoon about ten years ago, and there were these two old fusspots with the same amount of warmth and static between them. They were each buying a copy of Alan Alda’s memoir, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed.
Nick Kroll: So we followed them around the store. There’s a specific kind of person who’s lived in Manhattan forever, and you can always spot them.
JM: They’re non-threatening but always have a little something negative to say. Nick and I were about to host a stand-up show at Rififi in the East Village, so we decided to host it as these two guys.
NK: Certain aspects of these guys are obviously very funny to us, but we also have a genuine love and affection for them... READ MORE
Photograph by Monica Simoes