The Dirty Talk

Okay, we've given the space our first payment, so I think it's now safe to say where and when Nosedive's next show is playing.

Suburban Peepshow, a comedy about the dredges of suburban life, will be playing at Horse Trade's The Red Room on East 4th Street (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) every Thursday through Saturday in April (April 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 26-28). I think this is going to be a fun one. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

More incessant plugs and fanfare will follow in the ensuing months.

Last night, while my sister was handing off the check to Horse Trade, MattJ and I went to go see Spare Change Productions's remounting of The Dirty Talk, written by Matthew Puzzo and directed by Padriac Lillis. I had read the script a few months ago — it's in the 2006 edition of Martin Denton's Plays & Playwrights — and found it to be a very fun and fast read. Seeing the play on its feet does not disappoint.

I have to say, the show is a whole lot of fun.

The short description of the show is that two men — gruff Mitch (played by Sidney Williams) and mousy Lino (played by Kevin Cristaldi) — are stranded in a cabin during a torrential rainstorm. The phone is dead, the car's engine is flooded and its windshield wipers have been ripped off. We learn early on that these two men have never met before, yet are antagonistic. Through the course of Mitch and Lino talking about wives, fathers, fantasies, hunting, manliness, intimacy and online chat rooms, the play reveals who these men are and why they're together in said cabin.

The Dirty Talk is an excellent example of character development and storytelling. I had thought about telling the story of the play, which is very simple and linear, but realized that in doing so, I'd not only be describing 90% of what you don't see on the stage, but I'd also be ruining most of the fun. The fun of the play is slowly and steadily finding out who these men are, what their connection is and why they're stranded in the cabin. Michael Puzzo's script takes its time in filling the audience in as to what's going on.

It's also quite funny and (dare I say) touching even.

The show is also perfectly cast. In addition to the actors being good and completely believable in their roles, Mr. Williams and Mr. Cristaldi work well together as the play's Odd Couple, often riffing off each other's lines like a vaudevillian comedy team.

Seriously folks, check this one out. You'll be glad you did.

The Dirty Talk is playing at Center Stage on 48 West 21st Street until February 4. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased here.

Talkin' dirty,

James "Angelmouth" Comtois