All Hart

He’s a little dude — Wikipedia puts him at five feet four and a half inches tall — but Kevin Hart delivers big laughs. No, we’re not talking about his unfortunate starring role in Soul Plane. That monumental flop didn’t crash Hart’s career upswing. He’s since risen to even greater heights on MTV’s Wild n’ Out with guest roles in which he steals the show, and in big-budget, oft-romantic comedies such as Along Came Polly, Fool’s Gold, and The 40 Year Old Virgin, which finds him as an ornery electronics store customer who makes gratuitous use of a certain racial epithet. He has inspired us to strut into Best Buy with confidence and determination: “I'm also gonna need the extended warranty on it for the price of ... on the house. Hmm?”

Small parts on the silver screen don’t reveal the breadth of Hart’s talent; he shines brightest when performing stand-up comedy. It’s all about delivery: His face contorts, his neck grows taut, and his voice reaches into another octave when delivering a punch line. The guy would be funny on mute. But from Thursday through Sunday, you can both watch and listen to him live at the Miami Improv, 3390 Mary St., Coconut Grove. Tonight’s showtime is 8:30. Tickets cost $16.05, plus that two-drink minimum.
April 24-20, 2008