Steven Culp and Michael Rishawn in “Handjob” at The Echo Theater Company in Los Angeles. (Photo credit: Darrett Sanders)
Handjob play text is available to purchase HERE.
HANDJOB
by Erik Patterson
Cast: 2 female, 4 male
Genre: dark comedy
Keyword: LGBTQ, Race, Representation, Consent
Character Breakdown:
EDDIE, 20s, black, handsome, fit. Straight.
KEITH, 50s, white, a writer, disheveled. Gay.
BRADLEY, 20s, white, beautiful, fit, confident. Fluid.
KEVIN, 40s, white, a writer, disheveled. Gay.
SUSAN, 30s, a woman of color, passionate. Queer.
TREVOR, played by actor who plays Kevin.
JEFFREY, played by actor who plays Bradley.
KATE, 20s, a woman of color. Queer.
Synopsis:
An encounter between a white, gay playwright and his black, straight “shirtless maid” goes disastrously wrong when signals are misinterpreted, lines crossed. Handjob explores the aftermath of their meeting, as it reveals deep layers of discrimination, discord, and discontent among people who should be allies. How do you know when you’ve gone too far if you completely ignore other people’s boundaries?
Reviews
“A STUNNING WORLD PREMIERE. Patterson's very witty and smart script of clever puns and sharp observations gets even more witty and even smarter after a big reveal that I won't be spoiling. Suffice to say that Patterson's use of the brazen (to some) title of his play will foreshadow something more over-the-top and in-your-face than your standard theatre fare. Patterson delivers in more ways than one… Moments of comic gold… Potential audiences who might have a sensitivity to the play's title would be as much the perfect receptive audience as those with no issue with the title HANDJOB. Patterson brings up social issues of every flavor and relevancy that will push everyone's button in one way or another. This critic's buttons were pushed, but I can't argue for or against certain concerns without giving away a key plot point. Go see it yourself and find out.”
— Gil Kaan, Broadway World
“PROVOCATIVE… SENSATIONALLY PERFORMED…AMBITIOUS…Impeccable direction… Absolutely fabulous performances... Theatre of NOTE’s He Asked For It and Echo Theater Company’s One of the Nice Ones demonstrated Erik Patterson’s knack for delivering “I didn’t see that coming” twists and Handjob is no exception.”
— Steven Stanley, Stage Scene LA
“One of the most brilliant pieces of theatre I have ever seen. … The performances are letter perfect bringing to life Patterson's AMAZING script... The cast is extraordinary… Tight and eloquent script. This is a play dedicated to drawing the audience in, making us laugh a bit uncomfortably and putting us on notice that there are issues to be discussed. It's about how liberal we, the audience may think we are. It's about the discomfort of being faced with our own prejudices, no matter how hip and happening we may be.”
— Michael Sheehan, On Stage Los Angeles
“EXTRAORDINARY, whiz-bang of a script… The stakes are high and words flow powerful and gripping. There is important stuff here… The extended denouement keeps the audience rapt in pin-drop silence. This show is not to be pigeonholed as a “Gay play.” It is so much more than that. The ensemble, under the scintillating direction of Chris Fields, is…oh, where is le mot juste? Formidable! Magnifique! … Handjob is without a doubt one of the most electrifying shows currently in production in Southern California. Don’t miss it.”
— Paul Myrvold, Theatre Notes
“HILARIOUS… Handjob is one of those rare plays that manages to surprise and startle as much as entertain – and this is a profoundly good thing. … I won’t reveal the twists and turns – you need to see them yourselves – except to say that they’re ingeniously done, and unexpected. The audience is lulled into thinking it’s seeing one kind of play for the better part of an hour, only to be turned around and led on a merry chase for the rest of the production’s 90 or so minutes. The journey is as dazzling as Eddie’s abs, and the acting, directing, and production are all up to the task. … The cast doesn’t have a weak link, and each actor makes his or her character unique and quirky and weird and attractive and like no one you’ve seen before. Chris Fields, who keeps the pace crackling, but has enough confidence in the material and his actors to allow substantial pauses when required. … I used the word “ingenious” earlier, and I’ll repeat it here: Mr. Patterson has ingeniously structured the play, and written it with delight: it’s laugh-out-loud funny until it isn’t, and when it stops being funny, it confronts us with ideas we really should think about seriously… Imaginative and funny and outrageous and startling.”
— Dan Berkowitz, The Los Angeles Post
“RECOMMENDED… STAGE RAW TOP TEN… SMART AND VERY FUNNY… expertly acted and directed and genuinely thought-provoking in the best way…Patterson’s dialogue displays a glorious abundance of sharp wit, and the play’s structure is clever and effective. ”
— Terry Morgan, Stage Raw