NO HOMO

A gay story we haven’t yet seen onstage may seem about as hard to imagine as John Travolta without an angry denial, and yet that is precisely what playwright Brandon Baruch has treated us to in NO HOMO—A Bromantic Tragedy, as funny and crowd-pleasingly satisfying a gay play as I’ve seen in a good long while. 20somethings Ash (Jonny Rodgers) and Luke (Benjamin Durham) have been inseparable besties since college, so much so that everyone they know, including Ash’s gay brother Serge (AJ Jones) and Luke’s just-out sister Chrissy (Lizzie Adelman), assumes them to be a couple. In fact, even Ash and Luke themselves may harbor suspicions that the other is gay. Still, all speculation aside, our bff heroes do appear to be decidedly “No Homo,” th... full review

In Brandon Baruch’s play, Ash and Luke – two twenty-something heterosexual men – discover that their friendship of six years may have turned into a sexless marriage/codependency when they weren’t looking. As speculation among their friends about their relationship reaches a fever pitch, the two struggle to determine what, exactly, it is: are they best friends, boyfriends, straight husbands, or just straight-but-gay-for-each-other? None of the titles seem to match. With such an impossible premise, the show gets a surprising number of things right... Please read the rest of the review at <a href="http://cinesnatch.blogspot.com/2014/06/2014-hollywood-fringe-round-up-shame.html">Cinesnatch</a>... full review

This is an incredible ensemble effort that pays remarkable dividends. The plot has more twists and turns than an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. The entire audience was on the edge of their seats with anticipation of what would happen next. The bottom line was that we were thoroughly entertained by this show. It ran for 90 minutes but it was so much fun that the time simply flew by. Read the rest of the review on Examiner.com. ... full review

NO HOMO examines whether you have to be homosexual to be really, really gay by telling the tale of Luke and Ash, two 20-something Los Angeles urbanites who have known each other since childhood, identify as heterosexual, and live together as roommates even though their relationship pushes the boundaries of gay life. Ash (lithe blond Jonny Rodgers)loves to cook and run around half naked while Luke (Benjamin Durham) focuses on his career and new girlfriend, the totally clueless Babette (Elizabeth Ellson). Can two men really be the best of friends, love each other, and not be gay? Given the fluid nature of sexuality today, does it really matter which way you go? The important thing is to decide, and what makes this play so universal is tha... full review

Brandon Baruch’s new comedy is an amusing and well-directed observation of the fluid nature of sexuality among L.A. 20-somethings.... full review