By Jenn McKee
Near the end of the opening night performance of "Men Fake Foreplay" at Andiamo Novi Theatre, a disenchanted male patron told writer/performer Mike Dugan, "This is a comedy club," to which Dugan said, "No, it's not. It's a theater."
Which is true. But Andiamo's longtime identity as a local comedy destination, in addition to the cheeky title of Dugan's show (and Dugan's "Tonight Show" comedian credentials), will likely lead more than a few ticket buyers to believe that "Foreplay" is precisely what it's not: Which is to say, a themed stand-up comedy act.
Instead,
what "Foreplay" patrons have in store is a somewhat uneven but smart, thoughtful and brutally honest recounting of one man's personal journey to emotional maturity, with some jokes thrown in along the way.
At least, that's what the show seemed to be on its Wednesday opening night, when the crowd was small (numbering about 30) and wary. One had the sense that Dugan's jokes might have landed with a bit more punch had the venue been packed.
But on opening night, a large party (that made up nearly a third of the audience) clearly had expectations that weren't met by "Foreplay," and consequently, as the show took a more serious (and political) turn, they began to giggle and talk among themselves to the point of being distracting – to the rest of the crowd and Dugan.
With years of stand-up experience under his belt, Dugan confronted them as you might expect. But the atmosphere became uncomfortable for everyone.
The irony of all this is, the fiercely frank, autobiographical segments of "Foreplay" that led to this palpable friction were precisely the ones that ultimately won me over and made me admire the bravery of both Dugan and "Foreplay," despite the show's less promising beginnings.
For "Foreplay" follows the arc of Dugan's sexual and romantic evolution, from childhood to adolescence to arrested development adulthood. After suffering from self-inflicted heartbreak, by singlehandedly blowing up a relationship he really wanted to last, he took a cold, hard look at his own actions, and the culture around him, and managed to determine why certain dysfunctional patterns arise again and again when it comes to romantic relationships.
At its start, the show flounders to find its footing. There are ho-hum variations on some tried and true (which is to say, too familiar) comedy saws, like how parents become more lax the more children they have; and the structure feels a bit random and loose.
But the show eventually develops a laser focus on the heart of the matter, and it's precisely at this point when I sat forward in my chair and hung on every word. Hearing someone not only confess to their own transgressions, but provide an honest assessment of why and how they got to that point, and what they learned, is a riveting storytelling experience. And Dugan provides some pretty compelling food for thought (including a provocative re-thinking of the Adam and Eve story).
Yes, when Dugan turns the spotlight away from himself and shines it on the culture that helped create who he became, the show assumes a stridently political, even feminist, bent, addressing negative depictions and general poor treatment of women. But Dugan's points aren't easily dismissed, and if you go in to "Foreplay" with an open mind, you'll likely ponder many of its passages long after you leave.
By show's end, Dugan makes connections back to the stories from his childhood and explains that a primary root of his problem had been, "I laughed at the people I should have listened to, and I listened to the people I should have laughed at." And considering the courage it takes to not only confront the worst parts of yourself, but to share that dark night of the soul with the world, Dugan's earned the right to his truth.
REVIEW:
'Men Fake Foreplay'
Andiamo Novi Theatre, 42705 Grand River Ave., Novi. Wednesday-Sunday through Feb. 20. $30-$35; dinner packages $79.95-$89.95. 248-348-4448. http://www.andiamonovitheatre.com.
