Uhmmmmmm….
In flipping through the offerings at the Fringe Festival I came across HELP WANTED: A Personal Search for Meaningful Employment at the Start of the 21st Century “An actor fresh out of college and working as a parking lot attendant discovers a powerful inspiration. Spalding Gray’s compelling and deeply personal monologues influence him so greatly that he embarks on a quest — by way of Washington DC — to meet his hero.” and had two reactions
#1: “Ooooh! Wanna go!” which is a result of my love of anything Spalding Gray.
#2: “Um…”This Washington DC premiere”? “Quest by way of Washington DC to meet his hero”? Gray lived in NYC and has been dead for over two years now… how’s that gonna work?”
A little googling turns up some reviews (positive) and explanation, as well as some more tantalizing details. I’ll be at one of these performances for sure.
Swimming to Cambodia is terrific, and if you want to make a night of it, rent The Killing Fields along with. I think he was better suited as a writer rather than an actor, but hey, if you’re going to live in New York, you have to pay those rents somehow. An insightful, interesting, and troubled man. His mother also took her own life, which may have lead to his own choice. Depression is a horrible experience to endure.