‘Booze, Sex, and My Mother’ on Pilitas
ART VallARTa on Pilitas was again the center of attention as Jamie Brickhouse presented his one-man show Dangerous When Wet – Booze, Sex, and My Mother to a sold-out rapt audience.
Jamie’s monologue, nearly 90 minutes of a one-sided conversation, is based on his book by the same name. It was published after his mother’s passing (of Lewy Body Dementia) as per her strict instructions, and like a good gay boy, Jamie complied.
Every person in the audience could identify with some part of Jamie’s story. Please don’t think this is just another “gay coming out” tale; far, far from that.
Jamie is an exhuberant storyteller with a rich, modulated voice. I wonder if he sings? And he has amazing, beautifully muscular legs accentuated by his black patent heels. He clearly takes good care of himself now, but his coming-of-age stories and how he got to here from there are hilarious with an undertone of Holy S**T! as he recovers from one adventure and plunges avidly into another. It is a breathtaking and brave walk through his colorful life.
After spending time quietly listening to his Texas drawl tell all, I want to read everything he has written; I need more Jamie Brickhouse. Just over an hour is insufficient time to be in this once-struggling human being’s company who has leaned on humor hard and a great deal of love to heal himself. Mama Jean may have made him, but the fleshed-out parts that still stand on those wickedly strong legs are his very own.
Dangerous When Wet has only two more shows – this coming Thursday and Friday at 7 pm. I fully expect them both to sell out as the theater at ART VallARTa is tiny and when word hits the streets about the caliber of this brilliant monologue, Teatro Vallarta may not be big enough.
Glee’s last performance is tonight at 7:30 at Nacho Daddy, starring Gouda Gabor and Sargento. If you loved the TV series, don’t miss this show. For news about the Grand Finale for the So, You Think You Can RISE talent contest, meet me back here tomorrow morning for all the glorious detail.
