15 months later, Radio City reopens with Dave Chappelle

“But, man, let’s get up,” said Chappelle. He soon after introduced a New York feast of hip-hop acts who performed according to their native borough, including Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, Fat Joe, A$AP Ferg, Redman, Ghostface Killah and De La Soul.

Masks weren’t required inside Radio City but proof of vaccination was. In announcing the event in May, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it would “go a long way towards bringing back this state, overall.”

Directed by Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, makers of the Oscar-winning “American Factory” (and fellow Ohioans whom Chappelle called his neighbors), “This Time This Place” shows Chappelle realizing his quixotic vision for keeping stand-up and live performance going through the summer of 2020 and beyond.

In the rural town of Yellow Springs (population 3,700), Chappelle mounted a stage on a friend’s farm and flew in a parade of comics, some of whom showed up dying for an audience, others who were rusty from months of quarantine. Among them: Chris Rock (who was in attendance Saturday), Jon Stewart and Tiffany Haddish — along with regulars Michelle Wolf, Donnell Rawlings and Mo Amer.

The film captures an uncharacteristically nervous Chappelle before his first appearance, the considerable safety precautions taken (including Chappelle and others wincing at a swab up their nose), their battles with the local zoning board, the protest and pain that followed the death of George Floyd, and, ultimately, the profound benefits of comedy and community.