Matthew Xia’s vibrant and skillful direction brings Dave Harris’s play “Tender” to life, offering a deep exploration of sex, pleasure, parenthood, and the very essence of what it means to be a man in contemporary society.
While the setting of a strip club might suggest a night of energetic entertainment, “Tender” surprises with its profound introspection. The play delves into the multifaceted nature of modern masculinity, juxtaposing outward strength with inner vulnerability.
The story unfolds at The Dancing Bears, a somewhat run-down club in New Jersey. Here, two young performers, along with a father figure, work tirelessly, donning their “teddy-bear” personas and neon attire for a dwindling audience primarily composed of middle-school teachers and individuals navigating post-divorce life. Their struggles are amplified by the emergence of rivals who are luring away their clientele. The tension escalates when Geoff experiences a public panic attack during a performance, forcing a reckoning with the pressures they face.
Tender Review: A Raw Look at Modern Masculinity
Matthew Xia’s vibrant and skillful direction brings Dave Harris’s play “Tender” to life, offering a deep exploration of sex, pleasure, parenthood, and the very essence of what it means to be a man in contemporary society.
While the setting of a strip club might suggest a night of energetic entertainment, “Tender” surprises with its profound introspection. The play delves into the multifaceted nature of modern masculinity, juxtaposing outward strength with inner vulnerability.
The story unfolds at The Dancing Bears, a somewhat run-down club in New Jersey. Here, two young performers, along with a father figure, work tirelessly, donning their “teddy-bear” personas and neon attire for a dwindling audience primarily composed of middle-school teachers and individuals navigating post-divorce life. Their struggles are amplified by the emergence of rivals who are luring away their clientele. The tension escalates when Geoff experiences a public panic attack during a performance, forcing a reckoning with the pressures they face.