Hernán Jiménez does stand-up show

From the print edition

Last year, Hernán Jiménez wrote, directed and starred in “El Regreso” to critical acclaim and with international success. This year, he’s leaving his camera at home and taking the stage as a stand-up comedian.

Guess which endeavor Jiménez sees as the taller order?

“Stand-up comedy is the hardest thing in the world,” Jiménez said. “There’s nowhere to hide, no movie screen. It’s you and the public, without intermediaries, and that’s a wonderful challenge.”

His new show “¡Esto es en serio!” is essentially a two-hour monologue (in Spanish) concerning such topics as Laura Chinchilla, piracy, television and the human diet.

The show takes place March 9-11 at 8 p.m. at the Jazz Café in the western San José suburb of Escazú. The March 9 performance will also be the official launch of the “El Regreso” DVD.

“El Regreso” is about a man who returned to Costa Rica after a decade in the United States. Last year, it sold out in Costa Rican theaters and won Best International Feature at the New York International Latino Film Festival.

Can Jiménez deliver a punch line? Find out for {7,000 ($14), the cost of your ticket at www.specialticket.net.