THE BOYS IN THE BEDROOM
Now in its third season, The Bent is presenting Fucking Men by Joe DiPietro at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Based on 19th-century Austrian playwright Arthur Schnitzler’s much-imitated 1897 Der Reigen (in French, La Ronde), the play is a roundelay of ten couples, in which the one encountered in the first scene is then followed to his next encounter, and that one links to another until, finally, the original individual is encountered by the ninth, thus completing the mating dance that has transpired. Thus, it depicts several men having indiscriminate and unprotected sex with other men. Normally, the play has a cast of ten men. At The Bent, there are four plus two 1970s leather-clad onstage assistants.
The basic premise seems to cater to gay men who adhere to the stereotype in which no gay couple could ever live a fulfilling life of monogamy. Throughout there is irresponsible cheating behind the backs of unsuspecting wives/girlfriends with HIV-positive men. How 1980s is that? Also, husbands looking for quickies with other husbands. Man after man, after man, after man, etc. Paraphrasing the quote spoken several times throughout, “That’s why we’re gay. We’re not meant to have sex with the same person night after night”.
Jason Reale and Ronny Borrelli
Four competent actors play multiple roles in various sexually charged scenarios. Looking around the Camelot Theatre there was a definite Palm Springs demographic piling into the seats to see the young actors sexing it up and sharing their toned nude bodies, pre- and post-coitus. As one producer wrote on social media “There is a lot of towel and sheet choreography”, keeping male genitalia exposure to a minimum. As the houselights dimmed the tech crew had a rocky beginning with video playback stopping mid-way through and then starting over again.
Emerging from the dark is a young bi-sexual street hustler/escort (Ronny Borrelli) and a soldier (Jason Reale), who is supposedly out to try his first homosexual experience. With realistic simulated oral sex the young man uses his expertise to guide the “straight” military man over to the “other side” with great finesse. After finishing, the soldier has pangs of shame and self-loathing and beats up the young man. Apologetically the solider returns night after night to overcome his remorse of cheating, eventually discovering his deeper truth.
Borrelli is perfectly cast in his various roles of John the escort, Kyle the college kid, and Ryan the porn star. A confident young actor who is comfortable in and out of his clothes with comic timing that is impeccable. “I did something to his balls”, he says as the young gay porn star; demonstrating it in a lengthy hilarious pantomime, he then casually announces, “And I won an award”. His natural acting ability offers wit and heart throughout.
Reale, who played Abraham Lincoln in The Bent’s The Lincoln Debate, is seen acting and never once seems to connect with his scene partners. In his roles of Steve the soldier, Jack a married guy, and Brandon the Actor, it is not discernible that they were supposed to be very different characters. (Although his bathrobe missionary sex scene was the most believably erotic of the night.)
From then on each story doesn’t deviate much. Gratuitous sexual encounters are the activity du jour.
Jason Reale and Alex Price
Managing Director of The Bent Terry Ray is cast in every production his theatre produces. Here, he plays the more mature role of Leo — a gay married man who is having a revenge dalliance with a young escort because he knows his husband is having extra affairs on the side. Tit for tat. Ray also plays the role of Donald, a journalist married to a woman, who justifies his long-term love affair with his male assistant as closeted and cheating but happy. Very much the mindset of a past Boomer/Gen X generation — had he only been born in a different time. Ray also gives a compassionate portrayal of Donald who, deeply heartbroken, is mourning the loss of his long-time male companion. Ray embodies the only realistic moments by delivering his touching dialogue with an insightful grace and honesty that the character deserves. This is a conflicted man living in a bubble, and a country, that still causes him to fear a life gay, proud, and out of the closet.
The stand-out performance comes from Alex Price in the roles of Marco the grad student and Sammy the playwright, two very distinct characters because Price breathes varied mannerisms, vocal quality, and pacing, creating three-dimensional lives. He’s truly one of the best young actors in the Coachella Valley theatre scene. Not only is he laugh out-loud funny, he is comfortable bearing it all — body and soul — which is fearless and rare.
Director Steve Rosenbaum — Artistic Director of The Bent — is a skilled craftsman who is able to visually choreograph both dialogue scenes and sexual encounters, giving them a sensual feeling instead of an awkwardly crude or uncomfortably graphic representation; this emphasizes the actors’ strengths. Both Borrelli and Price understand Rosenbaum’s pacing, which is neglected by the other actors. They sparkle, offering tongue-in-cheek humor and sassy rapid-fire comedic punch-lines throughout. They also plumb the play’s emotional depths without slowing the pace. Most of the hearty laughs are during scenes in which they are able to show off their flawless timing.
Also in the cast are Kai Brothers and Scott Hill who lend an onstage hand delivering props, costumes, and becoming various electronic devices. This clever staging helps to move each scene along seamlessly. The set design by Reale causes changes that are a bit tedious and the changing of offstage costume (designer Cherlyn Lanning) can be visibly seen from the first four rows of the theatre as the cast frantically tries to finish dressing before the stage lights come back up.
The lighting designer is Mariah Pryor; sound designer Damian Jesus Mercado, slide/digital projections by Nathan Cox, and the stage manager is Jason Mannino. A special mention goes out to Kudra Wagner, The Bent’s arts administrator and production manager.
Talented actors in various degrees of skill and ability offer plenty of eye candy and simulated sex acts for those who prefer to see that more than solid and thought-provoking storylines. If you want a good laugh, a full body blush, and an amusing look into the heady homosexual culture, then treat yourself to a night of Fucking Men.
photos by Nathan Cox
Fucking Men
The Bent Theatre
in association with The Palm Springs Cultural Center
Camelot Theatres, 2300 East Baristo Road in Palm Springs
Thurs-Sat at 7; Sun at 2
ends on October 27, 2024
for tickets ($40), visit The Bent