What I liked
This show is at its strongest when Spencer leans into honesty and the humor in the uncomfortable. His willingness to expose uncomfortable truths, embarrassing missteps, and painful realizations cements his connect with the audience. Equally effective is his sharp sense of humor, which prevents the material from becoming overly heavy. The people seated behind me said it was their second time seeing the performance and I could see why!
What I didn't like
Show could benefit from a tighter pace. The older era pre-show music was a great way to set the mood. Would love to see sound design or musical transitions to help further differentiate sessions, smooth scene changes, and provide the audience with moments to absorb the heavier emotional beats.
My overall impression
Daddy Issues is an intimate, vulnerable, and often hilarious one man show that wears its heart on its sleeve. Structured around a series of therapy sessions, writer, director, and performer Spencer excavates the origins and effects of his self-diagnosed “daddy issues”, a lifelong attraction to older men. What unfolds is less a comedy about sexual preference than a deeply personal coming-of-age story delayed by circumstance.
While rooted in a distinctly queer experience, the awkward thrill of discovering who you are, what you want, and not to be ashamed of it resonates universally. The show’s therapeutic framework allows revelations to emerge organically, as a genuine act of self-examination shared in real time. Spencer uncovers patterns in his behavior alongside the audience and the result is a funny, moving, candid show that transforms one man’s personal therapy journey into a story about the universal desire to be seen, understood, and loved.
