What I liked
The execution of this little gem was spot-on, from the superb performances brimming with emotional honesty to the intimacy of the set and a unpredictable story arc that leads the audience to clever depths of empathy and insight. Ali Astin and Jake Corvino are perfect in this 50 minute journey bringing together two characters we think we recognize, only to expose deeper truths about the complexity of gender, sexual, cultural and sociocultural — some timeless, others specific to the modern age. This is not one to be quickly forgotten!
What I didn't like
Perhaps the pacing of the first half could be picked up a little, although the gradual setup no doubt serves to intensify the emotional turbulence and heightened stakes of the second half.
My overall impression
Thanks to stellar writing, direction and strong performances, I found myself transfixed by the dynamic between these two characters and the smart and surprising shifts of perspective and interplay between role-playing and biting self-revelation. Writer Ben Ubiñas is not content with merely entertaining, but cleverly sets the audience up to challenge any assumptions they may have dared to make. One of the most thought-provoking hours on the stage I’ve seen in ages. I highly recommend this show.
