Sex Farce

Sex Farce: Too Fancy Genius

The Vortex,

through June 10

Running Time: 1 hr, 30 min

Rob Nash is a genius. Witnessing him morph from one character to another -- say, sassy sing-song to low cowboy drawl -- at cell-phone speed is like watching Alexander Nemov perfect a somersault after a double flip in an Olympic floorshow. Nash has Nemov's eye for stance, gesticulation, and movement, allowing the actor/writer to slip from one personality to the next with a flick of the hips.

Certain gymnastic routines, however, induce a headache through complexity. In his new solo show, Sex Farce, Nash embodies 14 characters and umpteen sound effects aided only by a chair and an offstage voice, much as he's done in his previous multiple-character solo shows (the 12 Steps to a More Dysfunctional Family trilogy, the Holy Cross High Quadrilogy). But an unwieldy frame loses Nash's latest a couple of points. The play begins and ends in 2066, which does nothing but make Nash's job harder.

Everything balances on a comedy of manners revolving around identical twins Waylon (tough, gay) and Tom (vulnerable, straight), and their isolated "fraternal triplet sister," vulnerable gay Ruth. All three find a true love (Monty, Meg, and Naomi, respectively) to bring to their 10-year high school reunion. The sport comes with the invitation process.

Love strikes Waylon and Monty during a parking lot rage encounter. After a fleeting glimpse, Tom and Meg find each other in The Austin Chronicle's Missed Connections ads: "I saw you down on South Congress, you were with some queen … Let's get together for dinner and a good fuck," suggests Waylon for Tom's ad. A double date at Taco Taco Taco fails to secure reunion dates for the twins. Observing Tom puking and Meg yipping with nerves, Waylon decides to use his gall and pretend to be Tom, just to get the ball rolling. Observing Waylon and Monty kicking the verbal shit out of each other, Tom decides to use his mollifying powers and pretend to be Waylon, just to make sure the invitation is clear. Monty and Meg keep wondering which twin has the speech impediment.

In the traditional role of scheming rake, Ruth's estranged love Naomi lines up the prom queen Eleanor for a reunion night seduction, using Eleanor's jock-scratching husband Frank as a pander. "She said she'd give it all up for you … I think she wants to have a three-way," relays Frank. He scratches his crotch like Al Bundy as he speaks.

Most of the out-loud laughter derives from Nash's minor turns. Eve, Alamo High English teacher, speaks a lusty and direct English that is unmistakably foreign. Dialogue between Eve and her lover Ada features rapid exchanges of love and hate, all in monotone. "Waiter waiter waiter," an employee of Taco Taco Taco, cannot fail to amuse with a half-broken voice and company pride.

All the intrigues set up the farcical climax, set at the Alamo High School reunion. Frantic entrances and exits lead to several pairings.

Introducing and concluding these escapades with a character interview and reunion from 2066 appears to be a challenge that Nash has set himself, like a treble flip. A companion piece with the same characters 65 years down the road would work better. Swampbelly divide the scenes with appropriate tunes, and light board operator Michael McClain gives the stage atmosphere. Producer Bonnie Collum makes it all look easy. Rob Nash needs only to lose the time changes to develop Sex Farce into a perfect 10.