Review: Raw (Fringe)

by Jason Booker

Raw is a show with a title that says everything, since that is exactly what the play is: raw. It's the story of a young gay man, James (Jason R. Stroud), who receives an anonymous letter informing him that he was exposed to HIV after an unprotected encounter, he tracks down Stephen, his partner from the hookup, and confronts him, loaded with rage and fear.  The play touches a nerve, exploring ground that has been alluded to in the media - with criminal charges after HIV-infection - but rarely is discussed.  And while Raw bravely tackles the issue, it lacks a distinct tone.  The poster art indicates this might be a violent and moody thriller; the opening twenty minutes of the play seem like a serious drama with the occasional sarcastic chuckle but then, after lapsing into unconsciousness, one of the characters has his childhood toy come to life and offer him a way to cure the HIV situation.  The toy, a stuffed animal rod puppet with an odd twang in his voice, is bizarre and out of place as the show slides into becoming a dark comedy.  Once that diversion ends, though, the show returns to James and Stephen, asking probing questions, pacing the stage frantically through the dim and uneven lighting and speaking in epic monologues – one of which seemed to take 15 minutes to tell an expository unrequited love story. This was a play I wanted to like with its relevant and intriguing premise and the strong writer-actor-director, Rob Salerno who plays Stephen and who has previously written and acted in three other Toronto Fringe shows (Big in Germany, Balls and Fucking Stephen Harper).  Unfortunately, while the performances are strong, they never click with one another or rise above being devices of the diatribes - of which there are too many, even if they are informative and cast light on an often-unseen perspective. Toss in a pair of unnecessary and distracting backdrops and the show looks cheap too. While the plot captivates and has much to recommend, the characters left me cold.

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