Marvin J. Taylor on Underneath the Skin
Mise-en-scene, Direction, Coreography, Video, Costume, and Set Design by John Kelly
Original Texts by Samuel Steward
NYU Skirball Theatre
October 12, 2019
Production website
💉💉💉 out of 5.

Underneath the Skin was a smart, smart play.  It was a most novel dance-theatre piece based on the life of the classic star-****er and sexual maverick, Samuel Steward.  Yes, this was another gay play but the fascinating history that came with the play made it much more than that!  Here we have a living biography of Samuel Steward (1909-1993) who redefined himself often.  He succeeded as a novelist, poet, scholar, gay erotic fiction writer, and tattoo innovator.  And during all that he had time to sleep with Valentino, Lord Alfred Douglas (Boise), and Rock Hudson – while chumming up with good friends Gertrude Stein and Thornton Wilder.  Is there enough material here for a night in the theatre??  Hell, yes!!

What I liked in this production was the passion and commitment to the man’s biography.  It was clearly a labor of love.  I was impressed by their exploration of pornography in the early 20th century.  It was graphic and sexy and wildly provocative.  Large projections of his pornographic novel covers were matched with handsome living actors enjoying a little naked action on the bed.   l loved the extensive use of video and ways that it could blend with the life action rather then simply be a movie in the background.  I love the nudity.  Always have – always will.

What challenged this play was some really bad, clunky acting.  The handsome chorus of young men had trouble taking on the character and looked more like they were suggesting the characters.  The play also seemed to lack  clear direction.  Often focus was a problem and transitions were not helping the story move forward.  But all of this was easily overlooked for such a smart, intelligent evening in the theatre.