Originally published in RIP IT UP
First things first, and SPOILER ALERT: David Troisi isn’t actually gay.
And he’s really only half of the focus. Nate Charles Troisi, David’s son, takes centre stage as he makes several hypotheses for the nature of his relationship with his father, which seems to consist mostly of childish pranks. This is typical fare – a repeat of ‘Sh*t my Dad says’. What saves this from falling into boring predictability is Troisi. It’s evident he’s a natural-born performer; he exemplifies all the right amounts of likeability and fallibility.
The show organically weaves between stories, making various loops of logic to arrive at the central point of the show. The stories he tells about the pranks he and his father play on each other are truly gut funny. On the whole, it’s a satisfying ride. The audience is all the way with Troisi, laughing and crying along with him.
The top of the show is marred, however, by a problematic over-explanation for why the title isn’t homophobic. This section comes off as Troisi digging a grave for himself – because the title and its explanation do smack of latent homophobia. It’s a sour note in an otherwise enjoyable and emotionally satisfying performance.
Don’t be fooled by the ‘Comedy’ tag: David Troisi Isn’t Gay isn’t just funny. It’s genuinely moving, and well worth a look.
Rating: 3 stars
Callum McLean 
Leave a Reply