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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Freak

John Leguizamo

HBO · 1998 · 89 min

A chaotic, character-driven sprint through a childhood in Queens.

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John Leguizamo’s first Broadway solo show is billed as a “semi-demi-quasi-pseudo autobiography,” but it operates like a theatrical exorcism of his Queens upbringing. The performance is a high-velocity endurance test where he bounces across the stage to embody his extended family, neighborhood brawlers, and his own sperm cell. He maps his evolution from a kid taking punches in various New York enclaves to a performer who discovers his calling by sneaking into the second act of A Chorus Line. The core of the set is a frenetic stamina that allows him to play dozens of people, jumping between ages and accents without pausing for breath.

Directed by Spike Lee and filmed for HBO at the Cort Theatre, the 1998 special arrived while Leguizamo was alternating between prestige dramas and oddball studio comedies. The material leans heavily on the friction with his strict father and the quirks of relatives like his gay, deaf Uncle Sandy, who communicates via “Spanglish sign language”. The stage show was a commercial success, earning Tony nominations and extending its run twice before Leguizamo had to leave to honor film contracts.

The set list

5 bits

  1. Latinos for Dummies slide show

    A satirical, rapid overview of Latino history from Spanish conquest of the Aztecs to pop icons like Ricky Ricardo.

  2. Breaking the television antenna

    Recounting a brutal childhood beating from his drunken father, an exaggerated near-death experience, and blaming his younger brother upon regaining consciousness.

  3. Losing virginity at age 16

    Detailing a father-arranged sexual initiation with an older German prostitute.

  4. Discovery of masturbation

    Excusing adolescent discovery with the claim that he was merely cleaning it when it went off.

  5. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Tribute to trailblazing Latino performers closer

    Following a reconciliation scene with his father, paying an emotional tribute to Latino pioneers such as Desi Arnaz and Freddie Prinze.

How it plays

Tone
Raw, raucous, semi-autobiographical, poignant, and darkly comedic.
On stage
An acrobatic, shape-shifting, hyperactive performer described as a 'jump-up, lie-down, throw-yourself-against-the-wall comic' with a face like putty and a vast vocal range.
Pace
Electric, relentless physical energy and rapid-fire cadence, bounding across the stage and moving fluidly between characters.
About
Latino identity and representation, Queens childhood and multi-ethnic tensions, Family dysfunction and abusive father-son relationship, Adolescent sexual awakening, Show business entry and ethnic typecasting

What the critics said

Widely praised by critics as a tour-de-force showcasing Leguizamo's physical comedy, vocal versatility, and energetic character work, despite occasional notes on crude moments or sentimentality.

In the room: Consistently sold-out Broadway crowds with high proportions of young and Latino theatergoers reacting with infectious enthusiasm and laughter.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, paleycenter.org, wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, variety.com, nymag.com, cnn.com.

Backstory

A semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story set against multi-ethnic neighborhoods in Queens, exploring a tumultuous relationship with an abusive father, and breaking Broadway demographics by drawing young and Latino audiences.

Details

Released
Taped
Cort Theatre, New York
Runtime
89 min
Where
HBO
Director
Spike Lee
Honors
Won 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music ProgramNominated for 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy SpecialWon 1998 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance and 6 more
Topics
Before
Spic-O-Rama (1993)
After
Latin History for Morons (2018)

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