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written and directed by Rob Salerno with Laurel Green

Ten Foot Pole Productions, Toronto Fringe Festival,  Factory Theatre Mainspace, Toronto

July 3-12, 2008

Rob Salerno’s script follows the effect on two lifelong friends, Paul (Salerno) and Bastian (Adam Goldhamer), when Paul is diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 19.  Salerno the playwright mitigates the disease-of-the-week movie feel with heavy, healthy doses of blue humour.  When Bastian, too, gets the same rare cancer (1% of all cancers), the story becomes improbable.  Often Salerno’s urge to educate us about the cancer and Kübler-Ross grief cycle trumps a more detailed examination of how the friends react to the changes in themselves and each other.  The production’s real strength lies in the natural, ultimately affecting performances of both actors. 

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2008-07-10.

Photo: Adam Goldhamer and Rob Salerno. ©Jenna Wakani.