MARCH 23

Say these four words: “I have a pony.” Nothing much funny about it, right? Now imagine Steven Wright morosely uttering that innocuous phrase and you will no doubt begin giggling with anticipation. Therein lies the mystery of Wright’s gift. Turning the commonplace upside-down, he proceeds to find humor on both top and bottom. Deadpan comics are a long-established tradition, but Wright has elevated the form to such a surreal stratosphere that his setup lines are often funnier than most comics’ punch lines. Wright reports from his private dimension tonight and Friday at 8 p.m. at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW. $19.50. (202) 994-6800. (Dave Nuttycombe)