The title of Corey Moosa's 70-minute, lighthearted, one-man comedy might put off some potential theatregoers who assume the production is crass or corny. And they would be wrong. Instead, this is a well-acted and intelligently funny work, anchored by an honest story about someone with a medical condition that most people probably don't fully understand. Co-written by Brian Shoaf and energetically staged by José Zayas, Herpes Tonight! works as well as an educational lecture as it does an engaging evening of theatre.
Moosa recounts his major struggles over the last decade after contracting herpes -- specifically HSV2. Though he is the only person on stage, Moosa shares focus with a series of funny projected images, designed by Noah Diamond, most of which are TV-related and used to more easily explain sexually transmitted diseases. For example, the more common herpes, HSV1, is compared to The Hulk, while HSV2 is the Orion slave girl from Moosa's favorite TV show, Star Trek. Moosa changes the names of the ancillary people involved in his autobiography to famous people, so he contracts herpes from Kelly Ripa after breaking up with Kathie Lee Gifford, both represented by framed photos. Throughout the story there are several "medical asides," in which Moosa carefully explains the terminology, symptoms, and effects of the STDs.
Moosa's acting skills come in handy as he portrays a variety of characters, including his stern Iraqi father; a 17-year-old virgin with herpes; and the women in his life. With simple props and slight vocal and physical alterations, he is able to move seamlessly from one person to the next. But it's when he is himself that Herpes Tonight! excels. By directly addressing the audience and fearlessly explaining what he went through, Moosa becomes a sympathetic and likable onstage persona, even though the story reveals instances of his rude behavior. Zayas uses the space well, having Moosa move to various chairs while playing different characters. And Diamond's graphic design adds to the laughs many times. So don't let the title scare you. It is about herpes -- but in a good way.
Presented by the Immediate Theater Company at the Lounge Theatre,
6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood.
Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m. Jun. 6-24.
(323) 960-7776. www.plays411.com/herpes.