Reno: Rebel Without a Pause

What seems like a nut-on-a-bar-stool rant morphs into a triumphal evocation of the emotional-political bluster of that time.

Anyone familiar with Reno's politically minded monologues won't be surprised by her fury, which has sometimes been fueled by a self-righteousness that's undermined her valid observations.

For a comedian who thrives on spontaneity, the heart of Reno's act seems conspicuously canned.

Director Nancy Savoca's no-frills record of a show forged in still-raw emotions captures the unsettled tenor of that post 9-11 period far better than a more measured or polished production ever could.

The tiny stage can barely contain Reno's gale-force personality, as she paces and rants a stream-of-conscious monologue.

Nancy Savoca's workmanlike record of a La Mama stage performance taped last December finds the comic spinning some not-especially-interesting anecdotes about her bewildered actions that day, before turning toward more incisive political commentary.

Flailing and pummeling the air, with body language that's part prizefighter, part baggy-pants clown, Reno is famous for her bluntness.