This weekend's forecast of soggy, gray slop might fool you into the false hope that we have been granted a reprieve from "the icy white concussion of winter."

Singer/actor Bradley Green­wald uses that perfectly frigid phrase from poet Amy Gerstler as the sharp spear tip of his meditation on the solstice. "The Longest Night" invites us to laugh at the dark and cold and to consider the deep and ancient connection each human shares with Earth's orbit of the sun.

The show, which opened at Open Eye Figure Theatre on Thursday, is a simple and delightful cabaret built upon Greenwald's virtuosity as a vocalist and his puckish personality as an actor. With pianist Sonja Thompson as his strong right (and left) hand, Greenwald sings an eclectic slate of songs and reads poems, essays, haikus and laments that were inspired by centuries of short days in the Northern Hemisphere.

"The longest night of the year is the shortest night with you," he croons from the Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart song. After rattling off a few facts about the sun and the Earth and the distance of 93 million miles that separates us, he notes how at this time of year in particular the great ball of fire seems "So Far Away," as Thompson tinkles out the Carole King tune.

A lovely, poignant moment is "The Christians and Pagans," a warm song by Dar Williams that finds family members coming together despite their disparate traditions and beliefs. There really is no reason why the 57,000 holidays celebrated around the world cannot share the fellowship of a season defined by self-reflection and peace on Earth.

The readings, from Ogden Nash, Margaret Atwood, Rainer Maria Rilke and others, are funny, painful and full of meaning.

Greenwald is lit evocatively by Darren Hensel, including one segment when just a candle illuminates the singer's face. Sean Healey, the Jungle's longtime sound wizard, comes over to set up a couple of tape loops with which Greenwald harmonizes.

It's a gem, this little show, and Open Eye is a perfect venue with its Old World vibe. As we left Thursday, Open Eye's Michael Sommers stood on the sidewalk as the firekeeper, who tends a flame into which we throw our regrets and burdens of the past year. This small moment completes the event's charm.

This is an authentic experience, one of those moments that gladden your spirit and remind us of how powerful the slightest storytelling can be, when done right and with heart.

Greenwald sends us into the night with one admonition: Whatever your tradition, celebrate this time of year. His incantation deserves to be seen and heard again and again as we mark the passing years by the long shadows and that seasonal melancholy that pierces the soul. Yes, it's cold and dreary right now. And that is just as it always has been, and as it should be.

Graydon Royce • 612-673-7299