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| From the Mayfair Theatre production: Calvin Culver, Jake Everett, Walter Holiday. |
TUBSTRIP [Comedy/Homosexuality/Sex] A: A.J. Kronengold [Jerry Douglas]; D: Doug Richards [Jerry Douglas]; S: May Kenley; Mayfair production: Leo B. Meyer; C: Jim Faber; L: May Kenley; Mayfair production: Edward I. Byers; P: K.G. Productions, Ltd., i/a/w Mark Segal; T: Brecht Theatre (OB); 5/17/73 (100); Players Theatre (OB); 8/14/73-9/16/73 (40); Mayfair Theatre; 10/31//74-11/17/74 (21)
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| The Players Theatre company: Richard Rheem, Larry Gilman, Tony Origlio, Jamey Gillis, Richard Livert, Bob Balhatchet (seated), Jake Everett, John Bruce. (Photo: John Bruce.) |
This overheated sex farce was running at the Mercer Arts Center's Brecht Theatre when that edifice, located in a venerable Greenwich Village hotel, collapsed in 1973. It spent the months between that production’s demise and its official opening for the critics in this mounting by touring the country to eight cities with, reportedly, successful results. When it returned to New York, with adult film star Casey Donovan (billed as Casey Culver) as bathhouse attendant Brian (first played by Larry Gilman), it played at Broadway's small Mayfair Theatre, but lasted only several weeks. The cast underwent a number of changes during the show's peregrinations.
The mainline critics would have nothing to do with it and it was soon gone in a puff of steam. On the other hand, some in the gay press greeted it with encomiums, arguing that it was an honest, insightful view of the gay men's world, albeit probably not a work that straight audiences would appreciate.
Tubstrip, like the more successful such play of the half-decade, Steam Bath, is set in a health spa, this one—called “Boy’s Town”—intended for gay, male clients, each of them stereotypically campy. The bathhouse, where nudity is on display, is somewhere they visit to cruise for new hookups. The principal plot circles around the rivalry for Brian's favors from Andy (Walter Holiday), Richie (Tony Origlio), and the closeted, married Bob (Richard Livert). A notable feature of the show was a narrow pool of water that splashed water on theatregoers whenever an actor jumped into it.
After sneering at the
writing, acting, and direction, Mel Gussow added, “The stage is slippery and
the play is as soggy as a wet towel.”
Reader Jordan Schildcrout has provided this helpful link to more information on Tubstrip.
Readers of this blog who may be interested in my Theatre's
Leiter Side review collections (one with a memoir), covering almost every show
of 2012-2014, will find them at Amazon.com by clicking here.
Next up: Tug of War
