Watching Daddy Bear & Man P*ssy, I went through a portal.
In this performance, husband-and-husband team Steve Wright and Jeff Narayan tell the story of their relationship — mostly untheatrically. They stand side by side and take turns delivering information.
Both creators are neurodiverse, Wright has mental health issues, and Narayan is trans, so there’s a lot to unpack here that’s worthy of attention. But, for a long time, I couldn’t find a way to get into it. Hankering for more satisfaction, I kept asking myself questions like, “Where are the conflicts within this relationship?” and “What’s the deeper thematic exploration here?”
Then I entered the portal.
As Wright and Narayan address Narayan’s bottom surgeries, Wright scootches down under Narayan’s hindquarters with a lit headlamp and a giant Q-Tip. Wright’s tender, intimate job is to make sure Narayan’s surgical wounds aren’t getting infected. Suddenly, there’s physical theatricality that brings deep resonance. This is what love looks like.
The performers generously invite the audience into the fold, answering potential questions, about their shared sex life, for instance, that we might be holding in our heads but are too afraid to ask.
Daddy Bear & Man P*ssy spends too much time simply telling us what happens next — with their housing for instance — as opposed to focusing on the core love story. Still, I’m grateful to this show for its gentleness, celebration of diversity, and embodiment of care.
Remaining performances: September 16 (5:00 p.m.), 19 (7:00 p.m.), 19 (6:15 p.m.), and 20 (2:30 p.m.) Tickets and information.
PHOTO CREDIT: Photo of Steve Wright and Jeff Narayan by Lucyboo Productions.
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