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Regional Reviews: San Francisco The Male Intellect, An Oxymoron? Also see Richard's review of Proof
The theme of the piece is that Bobby, the central character played by the actor, is unsure as to why his fiancée left him two weeks before. He just cannot understand why she would do such a thing. Sitting by the telephone, he says he is happy to share this time with the audience as he waits for the phone to ring - if she calls in the 90 minutes, the engagement is back on. He says "She says I had a bad memory though I can't recall why," and is left to stew about where he went wrong and what is it that women want. He says he isn't equipped to find the answers because he is male. He knows that he is weighed down with all the baggage that comes with a penis, and he cannot see the human condition. Bobby Dubac lists his masculine side and his feminine side and this shows in the split set. The right side of the stage is a cluttered mess with beer bottles, dirty clothes thrown all over the floor, a sloppy couch and pull down portraits of Einstein (who he believes is the perfect mate for the women) and a sexy brunette Bobby once had a crush on. The left side (his feminine side) is clean and almost bare, with only a blackboard with drapes hanging in the background. The board becomes a central object in the performance. The artist is more in tune with his masculine side since he can't shop, eats like a pig, hates cats and thinks much differently that his fiancee does. On his feminine side, he lists almost nothing. Dubac teases the female members of the audience with all sorts of zingers, such as the idea that men lie while women change their minds. Women can remember stuff men did three years ago, while men can't even remember whether it's true or not. I like the line that one of his characters says about dying. He believes God should hand you a paper and say "Your job is finish and you are fired." Bobby needs insight into his condition, so he calls on five other male characters (all played by Dubac). They include a retired war hero whose name is Colonel. He informs Bobby immediately that all men are jerks and there is nothing he can do about it. He calls on Jean-Michel, a French exchange student, who believes that all men should speak French and talk in unfathomable images to women. Other characters are Fast Eddie who sounds suspiciously like Jack Nicholson, tattooed tough guy Ronnie who sounds like Stanley in Streetcar Named Desire, and an ancient fisherman who has been a bachelor for 123 years. Robert Dubac delivers his humorist life lessions with the self-assurance of a popular, unassuming teacher. He has ample wit with a marvelous common touch to keep the audience amused for the 90 minutes. The Male Intellect: an Oxymoron? runs thru June 29th at the Marines Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco. For tickets call 877-771-6900 or visit www.marinesmemorialtheatre.com If You Ever Leave Me ... I'm Going with You with Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna returns to the theater July 11 thru August 3rd. Following that will be Menopause the Musical. |
Robert Dubac brings his ninety minute one man comedy The Male
Intellect: an Oxymoron? back to San Francisco for a limited
engagement at the Marines Memorial Theatre. Dubac played at the smaller Mason Street Theatre in 2001
to capacity audiences.