‘Villens United by Chris Haskell

In a dimly lit basement in the ‘Ville, Ryan Donahue and his crew of mad men are preparing to cure the locals of their wintertime blues. A line of people form outside the doors of the intimate Davis Square Theatre eagerly waiting to hand the doorman $10 to witness some Strange Behavior. If laughter truly is the best medicine then these folks will gladly pay the small price to get their prescriptions filled.

Over the last year, Donahue has hosted some of the hottest comics picking up steam in the biz in his comedy show aptly titled Strange Behavior. Fans of the local comedy scene know what a truly hidden gem this monthly show is. The show itself has quickly become a favorite date night activity for many local college students and young professionals pinching pennies to pay the rent. Last Thursday’s show packed a hard one-two punch showcasing Doug Smith and headliner Sean Patton, who’s recently been on Conan O’Brien and Inside Amy Schumer (Patton’s Jamaican Robocop bit had me howling like a hyena).

Ryan Donahue, a former Emerson student, grew up in Rhode Island but is proud to have started his comedy career right here in Somerville. The longhaired, often sweater-clad weirdo hits the audience with a very unique, almost slapstick comedy where he laughs at his own childhood memories and twisted perspective of everyday life. Donahue was a finalist in the 2013 Boston Comedy Festival that was hosted at the Davis Square Theatre. The original Strange Behavior show started as a weekly bar show at the Middle East in Central Square but was later relocated to Davis Sq. after Donahue was offered his own show by the directors of The Davis Square Theatre.

Sean Patton (left), Ryan Donahue (middle), Doug Smith (right).

“I find it very rewarding to be able to hone my comedy here and bring a funny affordable show to the area,” says Donahue. “It’s a great place to try new material. It’s like an incubator of creative thought. The audience is always so receptive and open to the comics.”

Donahue has been traveling around the continent playing different festivals such as the Johnny Carson Great American Comedy Festival in Nebraska and most recently the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.

“Great comics are always great people,” Donahue said. “And I love being able to bring back some the great comics I meet on the road to perform with me here in Davis.”

Recently, some of the strange brew of laughs from Strange Behavior are finding their way out of the small basement theater and into other media outlets; the show has hosted a couple album recordings over the last several months. The October edition of the show was recorded for Boston’s own Dan Boulger (The Late Late Show, Comedy Central) and in December Josh Gondelman (writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver) was also recorded during a show for his March release comedy album which will be sold as a cassette tape at future Strange Behavior shows.

“I’ve had a few comedians contact me about performing and recording so we’ll definitely be doing some more album recordings in the coming months,” assures Donahue. “You don’t want to eat chicken parm everyday though. You gotta have a creative buffet.”

When he’s not poking fun at himself, Ryan Donahue is working hard to bring his weird brand of comedy to the masses through other mediums. He is currently crafting an animated comedy show that he hopes to shop around to the networks or produce as webisodes. Ultimately, Donahue would love to take the show on the road. “I want to do the show as long as I can and have the show evolve into a comedy tour.” He already has plans for a special reunion show back at The Davis SquareTheatre where the tour bus makes its final stop.

“I’d love to end this show by bringing back all my favorite comedians for a one night only farewell show and just let loose. You gotta have goals.”

Strange Behavior hosted by Ryan Donahue plays every month at The Davis Square Theatre. Thursday, February 25: Liza Treyger. Check in with the show’s Facebook homepage for future show dates. Tickets are $10 at the door but the small venue fills up quick so picking up tickets online through Eventbrite.com would be recommended. Best $10 you ever spent.

Hope you enjoyed the column. In my next column I’ll be reviewing bars in the city to find the best place to watch the Super Bowl.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)