By Lynn Venhaus

A virtuoso performance by Jacob Flekier elevates funny and fearless comic Alex Edelman’s remarkable gift for storytelling to engage, charm, amuse and frighten in equal measure in New Jewish Theatre’s timely “Just for Us.”

What prompted this show’s development was Edelman’s real response to an antisemitic tweet aimed at him in 2018. With utmost seriousness, he decided to take it farther and attended a meeting of White Nationalists in Queens.

Although it’s the play’s centerpiece, the undercover experience is not the only nugget. Edelman vividly discloses the surreal details of that encounter, adding much self-deprecating humor.

He also has a flair for weaving different stories together – sharing about his family, his Jewish upbringing, his modern Millennial humor and pop culture shorthand. Flekier delivers the hilarity with Swiss-watch timing.

Sure, the Queens gathering is intense because he sees people no longer hiding behind their keyboards, but instead in the flesh. It’s unsettling to see hate up close, and an impassioned Flekier makes us feel what Edelman is feeling every step of the journey – that discomfort, the potential danger, and yes – even the humor.

Director Alan Knoll, a veteran behind the scenes and in front of an audience, cleverly unfolds this thought-provoking exploration of antisemitism, faith and identity. How far can empathy extend?

The director and actor have struck comic gold, with Flekier confidently embracing Edelman’s quick wit and quirks. The precisely-constructed narrative isn’t merely telling jokes but revealing a young man’s journey in an energetic style. We know these people he meets..

Flekier is that rare talent whose body language and vocal inflections seamlessly bring various characters to life. Now based in New York, the Webster University graduate has never failed to impress on stages in St. Louis.

Knoll knows how to bring out the best in him. They are kindred spirits who collaborate well — first in “Brighton Beach Memoirs” in 2019, which won the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Production of a Comedy, and in the acclaimed “Broadway Bound,” which received six nominations and one win.

In both NJT shows, Flekier masterfully played the Eugene Jerome character, which is playwright Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical alter ego and the central narrator across his famous trilogy.

Flekier also played the Neil Simon character, fledgling comedy writer Lucas Brickman, in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” at both NJT, directed by Edward Coffield, and the Lyceum Theatre in Arrow Rock, Mo., directed by Knoll.

“Just for Us” is intimately staged in the Wool Studio to make it appear as a nightclub, and benefits from a resourceful set designed by Jayson Lawshee-Gress, who also expertly designed the warm lighting. Ethan Foss admirably navigated the sound.

You’ll never hear the phrase, “Can you believe it?” without thinking of this show. In 2021, Edelman turned his experience into a deeply personal one-man show, staged off-Broadway, then in both London and on Broadway, which was filmed for an HBO special.

He won a special Tony for the stage show and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special. The cable TV special is currently streaming on HBO Max. Edelman, now 37, has been performing stand-up comedy since he was 15.

His relatable themes, repeated here, seem to strike a universal chord. Don’t we all want to fit in, in some way? We’ve also been in cringy spaces. The

Hearing Edelman’s captivating story is time well-spent, and seeing Flekier command the stage is 90 minutes of outstanding theater. An unexpected delight, “Just for Us” isn’t afraid to present different perspectives that broaden our world, make us squirm in our seats, and laugh in unison.

New Jewish Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of Alex Edelman’s “Just for Us” from Oct. 1 to 18 at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre (2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146) October 1-18. Performances are Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tickets are available by phone at 314.442.3283 or online at jccstl.com/njt.