Left at altar
Play almost rings true as gay man’s gal pals marry
Here come the brides; there goes their time for — and interest in — their hapless homosexual bestie. That hurts. And that’s the gist of Joshua Harmon’s “Significant Other,” a new comedy about friendship.
By turns hilarious, heart-tugging and aggravating, the play is exactly like its main character, Jordan Harmon (a terrific Gideon Glick).
Gay, single and socially inept, Jordan fetishizes Will (John Behlmann), an office hottie who may not even play on his team. Jordan’s gutsy, get-it-done gal pals have real relationships.
Bossy little Kiki (Sas Goldberg) weds first. Then cynical Vanessa (Carra Patterson). Then, the crushing blow, good-natured Laura (Lindsay Mendez).
Jordan rages about the price of Laura’s weekend-long affair. But it’s not money Jordan’s reeling from. It’s losing his security blanket.
But this is an old story — and, as presented, a very old-fashioned one. How about a gay buddy’s wedding? Then again, needy, neurotic Jordan has no gay friends. Not one.
To add a dash of theatricality, Behlman multitasks as a couple of hubbies. Luke Smith plays another one. Under the direction of Trip Cullman, all the performances are top-notch.
What elevates this from a very special “Will & Grace” is Harmon’s canny way of tethering wicked but weightless zingers to something with heft.
As in his sharp comedy “Bad Jews,” the anchor here is a link to the past. Barbara Barrie brings a gentle persuasiveness as Jordan’s grandmother, Helene, who tries to console him.
“The book is long,” she says of life. “It’s a long book.”
The length of Harmon’s play isn’t an issue. It’s the familiarity and contrivances that significantly blunt its impact.