Masterful storyteller

I visit Orchestra Hall in Detroit a lot, but tonight was different. The only one on stage was Bill Cosby. He told stories for two and a half hours, without a break.

Cosby came out wearing a t-shirt that had a photo of himself and Nelson Mandela. He turned down the lights for a moment of tribute while we listened to Marian Anderson sing. Then he launched into stories of his visits to the great man. That included asking Mandela if Tarzan was still around. Of course, that required explaining who Tarzan was. Mandela was most polite during this explanation, but drawing a blank at the end.

What followed were stories of Cosby's childhood and teenage years. Some of them had been told before (and several times Cosby had to remind the audience that he was telling the stories) even if details were different. The evening ended with Cosby, then about 16, asking his mother what "out-of-wedlock" meant. It was a term he heard from his grandfather. She sends him to his room and when his father comes home there is a confusing discussion about whether the baby has been born yet.

Orchestra Hall is about 2000 seats and the place was close to sold out. It was a long way from my seat to where Cosby sat on the stage and I had forgotten how much of his storytelling is done through his facial expressions. I was glad that his image was projected on two giant screens behind him. Through that I was reminded that he is a masterful storyteller. It was an evening well spent.