EMA Review: Talk Show Irresistible ★★★★★1/2

By Erik Engman

Author, Clown and Improvisation Teacher, Theatre Critic, EatMoreArtVegas.com

IG: ErikReviewsVegas; YouTube: @ErikReviewsEverything

We constantly define ourselves in outward terms. For instance: I’m a clown, a teacher, a writer, a director, a father, a son, a brother. But who are we really underneath these superficial labels we adorn ourselves with? What are we worth beyond our jobs, our families, and the identities we have created for ourselves? When all of that is gone, what is left? And does it make us any less of a human being? These questions and more are put to us with A Public Fit Theatre Company’s production of Talk Show by Alistair McDowall, at the SST Studio, just south of the Rio Hotel and Casino.

Directors Jake Staley and Breon Jenay masterfully bring to life this dysfunctional family of three generations of men, letting their emotional wounds bleed out loud for everyone to witness. Staley and Jenay’s trust in the script, and their skill in knowing when to play for the humor and when to pull at the heartstrings, deliver a powerful, poignant, funny, and hopeful night of theater.

In a small Northern English market town in 2012. Sam (Austin Parrales), the son, is 26 and living in his father’s basement, producing a nightly talk show for a very small handful of internet viewers. His father, Bill (Wilam Tarris), is unemployed, hocking their valuables and sleeping on the couch. Sam’s grandfather, Ron (Timothy Cummings), sleeps in the bedroom due to declining health. To make matters worse, Sam’s Uncle Jonah (Ryan Ruckman), appears after a five-year absence, still shattered by the tragic death of his child. And then all hell breaks loose. Parrales is wonderful, playing the would-be talk show host with pained emotion and an air of desperation. Tarris, as the father, brilliantly balances the father’s pathos against what’s left of his remaining dignity. Cummings is marvelous as the voice of reason, with his wisdom and quiet fortitude. But it’s Ruckman’s incredible portrayal of Jonah that steals the show, giving us a powerful, devastating look at a broken man who suffered the worst tragedy a parent can endure. He was incredible. A special shout-out to Agustin Ballesteros as both Darryl and Steve, the poor interviewees of Sam’s talk show, and, of course, Goldie Sneed as Roger the Snake.

The set (designed by Eric A. Koger) was superb and transported me to their tiny basement world. The lighting (designed by Jordyn Cozart) was both stylized and practical. Those moments looking out the window were stunning, for example. And the costumes (designed by Kendra Faith) were perfect. That tiny suit was hilarious.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a piece of theater capture the male experience as clearly and succinctly as this piece has. I have suffered loss of loved ones and marriage. I have been in the depths of despair. I have been so lost that I wanted to run far away from everything. Although I greatly enjoyed the previous play APF did by Alistair McDowall (X back in 2024), this touched a nerve that so very few writers can even dream of reaching. There were moments, like when all four are silently listening to a record, that hit me deeply on so many levels. This is theater at its finest. I will definitely see it again. There was a lot of biblical allegory and deeper meanings I’m sure I missed. This is, by far, one of the best plays of the year. Don’t miss it.

Trigger warnings: there is a live snake on stage for a few moments and some discussion of suicide.

What: Talk Show  

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Monday; 2 p.m. Sundays, October 23 through November 16 (no performance October 31, Halloween).

Where: SST Studio Theater, 4340 S. Valley View Blvd., Unit 210 (Studio 3) 

Tickets (including fees)/website:  General Admission $45, Senior/Military $35, Industry Night (Mondays) $25; apublicfit.org/

Irresistible ★★★★★1/2

Directors: Jake Staley, Breon Jenay; Scenic Design: Eric A. Koger; Sound Design: Constance Taschner; Lighting Design: Jordyn Cozart; Costume Design: Kendra Faith; Properties: Deane Walton; Production Stage Manager: Martin Hackett.