Homeless Romantic

What I liked

I enjoyed Tony’s emotional vulnerability and humor.

What I didn't like

It was a little difficult to see him from the back, maybe a small stage could help with the visibility

My overall impression

In the parking lot around the corner from the Thymele Arts venue, there’s a little corner decorated with portraits, crucifixes, flowers, and other evidence of a soul taking up space for itself. Somebody lives there in the lot, just beyond the staircase. This is the image I took in with me to Homeless Romantic, Tony Bartolone’s culmination of a decade of performing standup on the fringe between polite society and its outcasts.
From my seat in the rear of the theater, I saw a disheveled, wild-looking man I might’ve tried to ignore if I saw him on the street. He was sharing a belly-laugh inducing story about encountering someone on the street and accidentally giving more than he bargained for. He then reassured his audience with a brief FAQ section: Yes, he really was homeless. For those concerned that he is speaking for anyone but himself, rest assured.
His earnest portrayal of a life on the street was moving, funny, and frightening all at once. He speaks of society’s unswept corners with the irreverence fitting a life that has been stripped to its bare essentials. He discusses his struggles with mental health issues with the frankness of someone who has delved into the darkest parts of his psyche and come out the other side to tell the tale.
He goes to hell and back through this hour-long performance, and he takes us along with him. It is illuminating without being moralistic, painful without asking for pity, and funny without cheapening the sorrow at the core of his performance. He reminded me, not explicitly, that every person on the street has their own story to tell, and Tony’s show is proof that they deserve it.
Did I mention it’s funny?