Theater: “Adult (ish) Material” by Tiffa Foster @ HB Playwrights Theater

If you’re lucky enough to catch the remaining performance of “Adult(ish) Material,” a new play at HB Playwrights Theater in the West Village, you may note more than a passing resemblance to Neil Simon’s work. No small coincidence: Tiffa Foster’s funny, risqué off-off-Broadway play is directed by none other than the great Marsha Mason, ex-wife and writing-actor partner of Simon.

Jay (Jason Dietz) is a psychiatrist who is treating 15-year-old Mike (Kye Stressler) for—wait for it—porn addiction. “Your mother says you clocked 12 hours on the Internet yesterday,” says Jay. Mike meanwhile is asking the doctor for relationship advice—particularly about having first-time sex with his girlfriend Liz. “Just understand, it’s nothing like porn,” Jay warns.

Meanwhile Jay meets Angela (Angela Pierce) at a medical conference where he reveals that in a former life he was an adult film actor.  “That’s where I know you from!” exclaims Angela. “Last time we met, you had sex wafting off you.” Jay replies, “‘Wafting off me?’ In a good way or a bad way?”

A comedy of errors ensues where it’s discovered Liz is Angela’s daughter and Mike is Jay’s patient. Emphasis on comedy here—think of it  as a rom-com with a soupçon of Fritz the Cat and Alexander Portnoy thrown in.

Dietz’s easygoing, regular-guy charm plays well against the other actors, particularly with Stressler who captures the impatience and horniness of a typical 15-year-old boy to a tee.  Bogost is delightful and funny as Liz, and Pierce is lovely as the OBGYN who’s ready for a relationship (after being dumped by her husband for a man.)

Remaining performance is this Saturday November 18 at 7 pm only at HB Playwrights Theater, 124 Bank Street.  Tickets start at $10 and are available at the link below. So don’t delay! We saw “Hadestown” back in the day for practically nothing, and now you practically need a second mortgage to afford tickets. Heed our words, and enjoy.

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