Slap & Tickle

David Parr’s Slap & Tickle is a comedy inspired by a series of casual interviews about sexual experiences with gay men whose ages range from 19 to 52. From first kisses underwater to a men’s room assault; from high school gyms to public parks, the stories veer beyond sex to explore interrelated issues of promiscuity, intimacy and homophobia. Ostensibly set in a contemporary New York City bathhouse, the play features a towel-clad cast of 4 “Robs” who assume an array of roles, a doorman who serves as narrator and a Lady Di impersonator who becomes a living slang glossary. These characters reexamine their sexual behavior and attitudes 30 years after Gay Liberation, 20 years into the AIDS epidemic and 10 years after political correctness. Jason Palmer directs.