Reviewed by Josh Lockwood
Part of the Acts of Faith Festival, Richmond Triangle Players’ one man-show Patti Issues, directed by Carol Piersol and starring Billy Christopher Maupin, is an absolutely fantastic experience.
Maupin’s eighty-minute performance is truly breathtaking and mesmerizing. Breathtaking mostly because it is so dang funny. But the play is also laced with heartbreak, despair, abandonment, and triumph; all of which are relayed to the audience through an extremely intimate monologue as the star stands in the shoes of the show’s writer, Ben Rimalower.
The story begins with Ben reflecting on a day he spent in a record store – an important day in his life because he bought his first recording of the Evita soundtrack and because he saw his biological father for the first time in five years. Throughout the rest of the play I pondered which affected him more. While his relationship with his dead-end dad, Steve, who divorced Ben’s mother after being caught cheating on her with men, and ultimately abandoned his children, must weigh heavily on Ben, his discovery of Patti Lupone, Broadway star of a generation, inspires him to great lengths. As a boy, Ben listens to Lupone’s records on loop for hours, goes to countless shows, starts a career in the theater, and writes two plays. Throughout Patti Issues, Ben compares and relates his experiences to the two influences. Repeatedly, Ben elates over how “ballsy” Patti is; he adores her strength and confidence. Hearing about his father, described by Ben as a man who would rather pick the terrier in Monopoly than the top hat, it’s easy to see why he would gravitate toward Patti.
While credit must be given to Rimalower’s award-winning script, being part of the audience for Maupin’s performance was an absolute joy. The cozy HATTheatre in the West End was the perfect setting for this play. I think Maupin and I made eye contact for at least half the show. And the thing is, I’ll bet the rest of the audience would say the same thing.
And oh, the singing! I don’t recall any audio accompaniment – and none was needed. Maupin just belted out whenever he pleased. The script demands many seemingly spontaneous outbursts of Lupone impersonations, and with each one I was even more impressed by the talent. My favorite musical moment came when Ben recalls a performance of Lupone’s and bounces between chorus lines and the melody with such outstanding enthusiasm it feels like he’s performing in lieu of an entire Broadway ensemble. All this to say, Maupin is the reason Patti Issues is being produced regionally for the first time.
Patti Issues is definitely not for kids, but older teens can handle it. Within its somewhat raunchy exterior exists a heartwarming story about family relationships, being true to yourself, and dealing with extreme emotional trauma through devotion to the arts.
From Richmond Triangle Players, Patti Issues is playing at HATTheatre, 1124 Westbriar Drive in the West End, through April 5. Visit Patti Issues for showtimes and tickets.
