House Seats: JUST FOR US is Just for Everyone

In 2023, I had the pleasure of witnessing Alex Edelman perform live on stage. He was opening for Ted Lasso’s Nick Mohammed who was playing his character Mr. Swallow, at New York City’s Town Hall. He was so funny, and so relatable. He was nothing like the main event, but from his work in England, he had a similar sensibility. A few weeks later, he announced his solo show Just for Us would be premiering for a limited engagement on Broadway, after touring for more than a year in the US and the UK. I needed to be there. 

I knew very little going in, but was excited to see him perform again. If you know nothing about Just for Us, it’s a difficult premise to wrap your head around. Roughly Just for Us is the story of a conservative Jewish man who decides to attend a meeting of white nationalists. Jokes ensue. The idea seems almost inconceivable. Why would anyone choose to walk into a group of humans who are primed to hate him strictly because they don’t fit into their reprehensible worldview? Though, what boggles the mind in this narrative is that he manages to be hilariously funny and incredibly moving all at the same time.

Throughout the piece, you hear his experiences about growing up in a conservative Jewish family. Alex never allows the white nationalists to take center stage. They become a simple device used to share more about himself, his beliefs, and the people he loves.  

Don’t get me wrong, the abhorrent group is there, always skulking in the background – just as they are in real life. But by the end of the piece, you see Alex get his revenge. It’s not what you think it will be, and yet it’s one of the funniest jokes of the evening. It’s almost a throwaway line. But for the audience that has been with him on this ride, it’s so, so satisfying.

When the production premiered on HBO Max, it received as many rave reviews as it had live on Broadway. By the time it hit the streamer, he had polished the story until it almost shined. Through the use of up close camera work, and his ability to never step on a laugh, Alex infuses his story with the same bravado he showed night after night. The performance was filmed in front of a live audience as well. The feeling of being in a room with like-minded people all sharing the same experience is vividly present throughout the production. 

For a tiny show, Alex began working on years ago at Edinburgh Fringe, Just for Us has taken on a life of its own. In the past years, he has rightfully gained national attention, rave reviews, received a special Tony Award for the performance (no Tony award currently exists for solo performances), and an Emmy award for its recording on HBO Max.

My own personal thoughts on the piece are filled with writerly envy. I just can’t fathom having the guts to craft this narrative, and the sheer brilliance to make it so memorable, let alone attend that first meeting of abhorrent humans. Sitting in that theater and again on my sofa, I felt like I was witnessing something brand new. It blew me away. And I can’t wait to see what this incredible storyteller decides to do next.  

Just for Us is available for streaming on HBO Max.