What I liked
I’ll be honest – I originally was going to skip this show because I wasn’t interested in seeing male-male intimacy.
However, Michael came to my show and even stuck around to talk with me afterwards, which actual friends had done but not other Fringers.
I felt I owed this to him so when the only remaining showtime I could make work was immediately after another show I was obligated to attend, I RAN over.
So glad I did.
Utterly powerful depiction of an abusive relationship, and how one person’s charm can initially get another person under their spell until the losses are catastrophic and seemingly irrecoverable.
I hear so many horror stories about the ways men abuse women, so seeing the exact same dynamic in a relationship between two men helped make it more universal.
Jose Moreno, as handsome and charismatic as he is, perfectly illustrated how abusers repeatedly pull off what they do. The heart of the play is Michael Dukakis in the lead role, though – he brilliantly shows so much vulnerability while also discovering strength underneath.
When the curtain call arrived I stood up and cheered, “Yeah Michael!” Don’t know if others stood up but I was happy to because he deserved it.
What I didn't like
This was listed as 85 minutes but went on for 10 minutes longer – slightly inconvenient for those of us who had to get to other shows.
My overall impression
Possibly my pick for Top of Fringe this year!
