[[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of The Deal, written and directed by Melissa Curtis and Andrew Curtis at Hollywood Fringe Festival 2024.
Perfect for The Three Clubs, The Deal is an absolutely hilarious story about one couple’s ‘deal’ to improve their intimacy and help make a baby.
The story revolves around Nate and Sarah. They love each other and have decided to take the next step and procreate…but it’s not happening. After timing the coitus to coincide with Sarah’s ovulation Nate is feeling the pressure and finding it hard to perform…if you will pardon the pun. As it turns out, it’s not just performance anxiety, he is literally running out of steam. He works from home and online porn is his dirty little secret. Sarah decides to work with what she has and become his porn fantasy. So at least all his focus will be on her and baby making and he won’t be wasting his precious seed.
How could this go wrong? Well, Sarah didn’t quite realize just how dirty the requests might get, how often Nate would need her ‘input’, and just how this whole adventure might interrupt her daily life and work schedule.
What started as a fun game turns into a grim chore…not very sexy. She is also not getting pregnant, although she is getting sore and Nate seems to be having the time of his life!
Into all this drama suddenly awakens her closest ally for many, many years and he isn’t happy either! Her dildo. Live and in full man-sized scale, he tells her just how bad her neglect has made him feel and how much he disapproves of her current rampant sex life. It’s hilarious. And played very straight, which makes it even more hilarious.
In fact, the whole show is structured around the fact that this “game” of theirs is the most normal thing in the world. This really elevates the whole thing I think. We are truly being allowed inside the inner workings of a relationship. No holds barred as it were. And it’s brilliant. The performances are also a highlight. Nuanced and brazen, believable as well as being ever so slightly unhinged. Perfect in fact for the subject of the play!
The Deal has one more performance on June 30th at 4:30pm at the wonderful Three Clubs.
Why not give the Hollywood Fringe a good send off with a drink and a truly hilarious show!?
Tickets:
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10552?tab=tickets
When:
June 30th, 4:30pm
Where:
Three Clubs
1123 N Vine St., Hollywood, CA 90038