In a Big House, but Playing It Small

Aziz Ansari began the first of two shows at Madison Square Garden on Thursday in front of a giant video of a rising sun set to spaghetti-western music.

While this arresting opening suggested a rapid-fire action movie, what followed was more like a ruminative, socially conscious solo play. Mr. Ansari, the fast-rising, prolific comic who appears on “Parks and Recreation,” jokingly mused on family, technology, factory farming and love, closing with a sweeping and sentimental set piece tracking a relationship from first blush to near death. His jittery energy has settled into a calmer, humbler tone, and in another departure, he frequently interacted with the crowd.

The show, “Aziz Ansari Live!” is his most ambitious work — and least funny.

Playing Madison Square Garden has become the ultimate status symbol for a certain class of comedians. If you’re popular enough to fill an arena, it’s very difficult to bomb. At the same time, it’s even more of a challenge to give a great performance in a home for professional sports and pop spectacle.

The gold standard for arena comedy right now is Kevin Hart, whose commanding turn at the Garden last year was exciting from start to finish. His most impressive special effect was a forceful energy and theatrical charisma that made his small frame seem to grow right before your eyes.

Mr. Ansari, 31, has the chops to pull off something equally thrilling. He is one of the most commercially potent comics in America (4.3 million Twitter followers, $3.5 million book deal) because of hyperactive showmanship and a high-pitched, rat-a-tat delivery. In each of his three specials, he has done a virtuoso imitation of a soulful singer (R. Kelly twice) and told a crowd-pleasing story about hobnobbing with a celebrity, like doing a joke for Kanye West or getting ribbed by President Obama. Mr. Ansari has managed the difficult trick of remaining relatable while exuding swagger and success.

But oddly, he picked the Garden as the place to try a more sober, conversational style. There was a hint of an artistic shift in his last special, when he invited an audience member to share a story. He expanded on that dramatically here (this show was filmed for a future special), polling people about dating or asking for stories about their parents.