Sandra Bernhard Brings “Sandemonium” to Guild Hall

Photo: Showbiz411

Topical and terrific, Sandra Bernhard brought her no-holds- barred mouth to Guild Hall this week for a one-night only tour de force performance. Reaching out to Melania in the wings, “You are in a safe space here,” she consoled her. And, “Ooh, I like your jacket.” Calling out to a college student in the front row, she was both confrontational about her choice to quit Sarah Lawrence and go out west to study fashion, and supportive, sort of. “I could have talked to Marc Jacob for you.” She gave with one hand and took back with the other. And it was funny as hell. As she told me in a phone chat earlier this year: “I do not disappoint.” And she didn’t, giving one of the most spontaneous performances yet.

Her show is a nod to craziness, and with the wisdom and sanity of someone who’s performed in East Hampton before—she loves to chide the privileged, plus a touch of her signature sass and snark, her plan is to teach us how to escape despair and still have fun. “This too shall pass,” she says of our current regime. “Trump’s not going to be president forever. We had Nixon. We had Attila the Hun, and humans lived through that.” One of her funniest bits was her imitation of a QVC pitch for sarongs. Going off on Roseanne—her appearance as Nancy on one episode of the reboot was cut to bits—well, I don’t care. 

Finishing with a Patti Smith song, “People Have the Power,” in front of a giant sign that read: RESIST, she delivered her message of the night. Earlier in the year she was more hopeful: “It’s no surprise we live in a misogynistic society. Our culture wasn’t always patriarchal. Women had power but men stole it from us. One good thing:  having a predator as president has lifted up these topics. People are not going to stand by.” Has she changed her tune, as things have gotten worse? She sure can sing, but the laughter, and it does go manic at times, was a much needed kick in the ass.

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura