Good Time Charlie

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As soon as you enter Martinson Hall at the Public Theater and see the exotic garden complete with a torii gate, you are ready for something out of the ordinary and that’s what actor/playwright, Ryan J. Haddad, delivers. Haddad is a gay man of Lebanese extraction from Shaker Heights, Ohio who has not let his cerebral palsy prevent him from having a theatrical career in New York. Over the last several years he has performed a series of autobiographical solo works that have been well received. This time out, he has attempted something more complex, a tribute to the gay uncle (Jonathan Raviv) who introduced him to theater, interwoven with his own life story. Uncle Charlie’s parents (Nael Nacer and Artemis Pebdani), unlike Ryan’s, were unsupportive, forcing him into a career in dentistry when he really wanted to be an actor. Charlie was fortunate enough to meet Lou (Tim Bagley), a recently divorced professor of film studies, at a Cleveland gay bar when Charlie was still a dental student. The 24-year age difference proved no obstacle to what became a lifelong relationship. Through Lou, Charlie met Sheldon (Michael Cristofer), owner/programmer of the local art cinema, who became a very close friend. Charlie, Lou, Sheldon and Janice (Beth Malone), Ryan’s lesbian aunt, became his chosen family. Throughout the play, Haddad employs several metatheatrical devices including breaking the fourth wall to address the audience and having Charlie argue with Ryan over the script. To complicate matters, the same actors portray both Charlie’s parents and Ryan’s parents, which occasionally became confusing. While the first act is mostly light-hearted and raunchy, the mood darkens in the second act when one of the characters suffers a stroke and Charlie is burdened with the care of his parents and closest friend. It struck close to home when Sheldon expressed both his regret at never having had a long-term relationship and his belief that the arts offer life-sustaining power. The total effect of the play was quite original and bracing. The actors are all very good. Long-time theater lovers will be happy to see Beth Malone from Fun Home and Michael Cristofer, author of the Pulitzer winner The Shadow Box. The set by Afsoon Pajoufar and costumes by Enver Chakartash are wonderful. Director Danny Sharron successfully negotiates the many twists and turns. You certainly don’t have to be gay to enjoy it, but you are likely to enjoy it more if you are. Running time: two hours 15 minutes including intermission.