Customer Reviews

Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Eric Bogosian is one of those writers, like J.D. Salinger or Raymond Carver, who makes me feel like I am not alone. I'm not the only detached observer wondering why the current state of humanity is so absurd. Bogosian always writes about junkies, losers, and heartless bastards. But they always have something that is perceptive and interesting to say. As the last charcter in the book, a nameless "Artist" says, "If they know what I was thinking, man...I'd be dead." I feel the same way with the wealth of "irrational" thoughts that float around in my head. Bogosian is also an expert satirist. Are you tired of self promoting, so called "charitable" rock stars? Read "Benefit," in which a Keith Richards-type figure encourages television viewers to support his "Amazonian Indian" fundraiser. Why? Because they don't even have Pepsi. After reading this book, I find like at least there was some one else who shares some of my views on life. And that revelation felt like it might have saved my life.

This work amazed me. Acting is generally seen as a cooperative effort, but this collection of monologues proves that wrong. Usually funny and almost always far more insightful than anything in the movies, this work takes an often ignored route to exploring contemporary American culture. Some people may be offended by the vulgar nature of some of the monologues (such as Dirt, in which the only word in the first sentence that is not an obscenity is 'ya'), this very vulgarity is a reality of life that is necessary to accept in order to understand what Bogosian has to say.

Bogosian has a knack for creating compelling characters. A common aspect to all of his characters is desperation. Whether it the paranoid desperation of the "Artist" who stopped making art because "they" would know what he was thinking to the quiet despertion of the homeless "Bottleman" who finds comfort in collecting bottles or cans ("Bottles or cans, it makes no difference") so that he can enjoy an egg salad sandwich to the despertion of the man who calls "Candy" for a good time.

Right from the beginning, Bogosian (both in writing and as the lone actor in a one man show) pushes the envelope in establishing characters who live on the edges of society and who feel the pressure of desperation in their lives. For those of you who are interested, the movie "Talk Radio" has Bogosian exploring themes similar to those explored in "Sex, Drugs, ROck & Roll."

This classic Eric Bogosian script is a series of monologues that are visceral, funny, shocking, insightful, touching and high-energy.

This could be performed as a one-man-show or with a series of actors.

I highly recommend this very fine piece of American theatre.

Eric Bogosian has a knack for creating great little monologues that completely suck you in. As unpleasant, or even repelling, as so many of his characters are, their tales are nonetheless engrossing, sharp, raw and extremely funny. You'll plow through this in no time, anxious to read each next monologue. And you'll be quick to pick it back up for a re-read too.