The Crumple Zone

"This hilarious gay comedy," reads the press blurb on The Crumple Zone, "concerns three gay roommates coming to crisis during one frantic Christmas weekend." Did anyone mention this was gay theater? The New Conservatory offers nothing new in Buddy Thomas' play; the weak acting, partial nudity, gay humor, and obligatory sex scene are all what subscribers have come to expect. P.A. Cooley does give a nicely manic performance as Terry, the unloved struggling actor who invites a muscled stranger home to cheer up his Christmas season. But the rest of the cast fails to support him, and the dialogue is so tired it risks falling asleep before the critic does. It's hard to see why this show did so well in New York. Maybe it was the camp value of Terry's song to the handsome stranger? Perhaps, but that's not worth the price of admission. Save your money and buy a karaoke machine.