Theater Review : Marlon Wayans, "Wild Child" Tour @ The Theater At MGM

Before he surprises audiences with another dramatic turn in the upcoming Jordan Peele-produced horror film *Him*, and returns to the *Scary Movie* franchise next year, comedic legend Marlon Wayans is traveling across the country on his current stand-up tour, "Wild Child." The tour recently stopped in Oxon Hill, Maryland, at The Theater at National Harbor.

Like many children of the '90s, I was introduced to Marlon through the classic sketch show *In Living Color*, which led to his breakout in film. While Marlon has always been funny in movies and is a master of improv, his stand-up comedy didn't come to the forefront until the second phase of his career. Since 2018, Wayans has released four solo stand-up specials and produced one for rising comics.

Although comedy is subjective, watching his specials on TV only garnered a few chuckles from me. Nevertheless, as a longtime fan, I wanted to give Wayans a chance to show what he could do live on stage. Per the norm, as we entered the venue, my wife and I met with the sounds of a nineties R&B, which set the mood perfectly.

At approximately 8:20 PM, DC Ervin took to the stage as the host, captivating the audience with a lively twenty-five-minute set. His sharp wit and dynamic delivery kept the crowd in uproarious laughter as he expertly navigated a wide range of topics. After his engaging performance, Ervin introduced the much-anticipated main act, unleashing a wave of excitement and enthusiasm from the audience that filled the room.

Mr. Wayans took the stage to a song from Lil Uzi Vert, which set the mood for the evening's first joke about how Hip-Hop changes over generations. Instantly, it was clear that Marlon had perfected his stand-up routine, as he was on fire, delivering joke after joke with dead moments. Since Marlon mentioned that the special might have been taped, I don't want to go into too much detail about his jokes.

Some highlights included Wayans performing a few impressions, showcasing his singing voice, and discussing his reasoning behind his movie choices, particularly for "Dungeons & Dragons" and "Little Man." Additionally, to the audience's surprise, Wayans revealed that "The 6th Man" was not very good and was initially meant to co-star his brother Shawn, who declined the role that Kadeem Hardison eventually played.

As the night began to wind down, Wayans gave heartfelt testimony about coming to terms with his parents and his daughter's deaths, with a few jokes thrown in for good measure. With its mix of heart and unfiltered punch lines, "Wild Child" is Marlon Wayans at his stand-up best.

Final Grade: B+