THEATER REVIEW: Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?

The war of the sexes has been a topic of comedy since Greek theater, so Robert Dubac's premise is far from innovative.

0 comments

THEATER REVIEW: Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?

POSTED: Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 4:00 PM

Robert Dubac’s play Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?, on stage at Ambler's Act Two Playhouse, offers up a look into the male psyche while trying to answer the age-old question: “What do women want?” The one-man show features Bobby (Dubac), who recently fought with his significant other, Julie. When faced with what to do about the situation, Bobby begins to ask what it is that Julie wants and in the process uncovers the funny nuances that distinguish the genders. The act also features Dubac’s take on five male alter-egos: his father “The Colonel,” a French philosopher, a Jersey boy, an old bachelor and a hot-rod with Jack Nicholson’s voice. Surprisingly, the characters all provide him a piece of insight into the female mind.

The play as a whole is well-fitted to previous decades. The war of the sexes has been a topic of comedy since Greek theater so the premise is far from innovative. While Dubac takes a slightly more “sensitive” and open take on the gender phenomenon, he ultimately brings up the same points and clichés comedians have been bringing up for years. With women’s “Do I look fat?” setup, a man’s love of beer and belching, cats vs. dogs, and the constant question of sex, this play seemed better fit for a 1990s romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan than contemporary theater.

Clearly the product of an acting school, Dubac knew how to use the stage. The area was well laid out, divided into two clearly marked sectors of the brain: the clear female side and the messy, beer-filled male side. Dubac bounced from one side to the other while a somewhat otherworldly female voice grounded his female intuition. The actor used the stage and props to the show’s advantage, drinking and grabbing beers out of a file cabinet with the line “What, it was under B!” and postulating all queries and discoveries on a large blackboard. Dubac was well rehearsed, seamlessly using each prop without a fumble. He even tossed a hat to a coat hanger and watched it land. Dubac’s acting skills were even more prominent when he changed characters and became the old geezer in a fishing vest or the Nicholson-esque wild man. His impersonations and in-character skills were top-notch, even if he needed a new topic.

While I can’t wholly recommend Male Intellect, Dubac is also putting out a new play on critical thinking — which is a subject that sounds much fresher for the talented actor. The play, Free Range Thinking, will feature an amnesiac main character who has forgotten his views on the world. With a free mind, he is able to look at the differences between society’s major players. Here’s hoping this second, more innovative play presents Dubac’s talents in a better light.

Free Range Thinking runs Sun., July 17 and 24, 7 p.m., $20, Act Two Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Ave., Ambler, act2playhouse.org.

Posted by Meg Augustin @ 4:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

0 comments

Comments (0)

PHILLY LOVE NOTES: An ode to Spruce Street
ICE CUBE: In Memoriam: Joe Tartaglia
Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
CONCERT REVIEW & PHOTOS: James Blake @ TLA 5/11
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
Coming soon to Philly: Two cockamamie movie promotion schemes
What we're trying to do this weekend
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
CONCERT REVIEW: Danny Brown @ TLA 5/8

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

May
April
March

February
January

Past Archives: