Review by Thomas Gregory
In February of this year, I reviewed a “staged development reading” of Spunk Daddy, by Darby James. As predicted, it has returned as a more polished show, one as brilliant as I first exclaimed it was, and thankfully not that different.
Spunk Daddy follows the true-life story that Darby experienced when he decided, as a cis gay man, to donate sperm. From that first, fateful, Facebook advertisement through all the medical appointments, therapist sessions, and questions from friends and family, James offers his thoughts on the biological drive to parenthood, the ethical considerations of having children, and the desire to have some sort of legacy. He does most of this through song.
Yes, Spunk Daddy is one of the funniest cabaret experiences you will have all Fringe. “If I Were a Dad”, a song about hoping to be a good parent, was the biggest success of the opening night in terms of laughs, but the darkly thoughtful “Violence of You” is equally impactful in a way many will not expect.
Of course, having seen most of this production before, I can’t help but feel more critical at times - was that middle monologue a smidge too long? Why choose the notorious Butterfly Club and its demonic audio system for a cabaret? What happened to some of the more clever lighting changes (was I not paying close enough attention this time?)? There, now my review is less sycophantic than the last one.
Seriously, the changes I could remember appeared to be few. There are far less impressive uses of sound and lighting, but I do not recall if the developmental version had the effective use of “backing vocals” that this one did. The set and costume are perfect for the show and venue, while James’ continued work with dramaturg Casey Gould shows the talent they both have for performance.
Darby James didn’t so much as hit gold with Spunk Daddy but performed slow, thoughtful alchemy on a piece of dried bodily fluid to make it a production that deserves proper recognition as a valuable piece of theatre. It is, without a doubt, among the best Fringe shows this year.
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