Is "Significant Other" worth seeing? — Page 2

I saw it tonight and LOVED IT. Maybe it's because I am a 26 year old gay man, but I thoroughly enjoyed the production. I noticed a lot of older people were bored and disinterested, but the people around my age were, for lack of a better term, "engaged" with the story. I am very happy I saw it and will be letting my friends know to go see it.

TheSassySam said: "markypoo said: "There's a Chicago production opening next month with some pretty credible actors in it, regionally-speaking.

Comments, opinions; anyone?"



I am going to go see it! Mainly because the star, Alex Weisman, is one of my favorite Chicago actors and he will be making his Broadway debut in Harry Potter next year!"

Alex Weisman has become the go-to actor in Chicago for juvenile leading roles of characters that are either gay or troubled. He's been outstanding in The History Boys, The Normal Heart, The Temperamentals, and Hand to God. He should be well cast as Jordan in Significant Other. I saw the Broadway production with Glick and plan on seeing the Chicago one as well.

I saw the Chicago production last night and was very impressed. I'd read the script and knew it was both relatable and troubling. The ratio of comedy to tragedy in a viewers experience will depend on whcih character they most identify with. Seeing it live I picked up new insights. (Vague spoilers ahead)

Jordan is clearly a mess. He's coping with depression, social anxiety, eating/body issues and a suicidal grandmother. He's managed to hold down a stressful corporate job and three friendships that give him structure.

His friend/ co-worker Kiki is a "mess" as well but is self-possessed enough to "get away with it." Later scenes suggest her kid and her marriage will suffer if she doesn't grow out of her narcissism. He calls himself the group's "jester" but in this production that role is served by Kiki.

His co-worker Vanessa has similar issues but she's grown a shell and a filter. She was my audience surrogate as she kept trying to get Jordan to shut up a bit and reign it in. He'd do better if he didn't overshare and wear his neuroses on his sleeve.

His outgoing, catty co-worker Evan could have been a friend to him if Jordan didn't loathe the things he recognized in himself when they talked. Jordan seemed to turn into his grandmother when he lectured Evan about casual sex.

I was surprised how much sympathy I felt for his "sexy" co-worker Will. The actor's first scene is spent frozen in a bathing suit while Jordan gushes over him. It was staged with Jordan hovering his hands close to Will while droning on about his body. It went from sexy to deeply uncomfortable fast. When they talked Jordan made no effort to listen. I've long held the stereotype that the truly attractive have the advantages to coast through most of life's challenges. (One of the reasons I'd have felt less sympathetic towards Broadway's Gideon Glick) Watching Jordan sexually harass him throughout the play gave me a new perspective.

On the page his friend Laura felt like a kindred spirit. Their eventual break up would have been heartbreaking if their friendship had been on mutual terms. In this production Laura was played by a self-possessed, traditionally-attractive actress. She sees early on that the friendship has become unhealthy and begins to distance herself. This Jordan turns unpleasant and hostile long before their big confrontation and her decision to drop him (and that's definitely the impression I got here) is the right one for her.

Harmon is dealing with some larger socio-political issues here. The way some straight women treat gay men. The way some gay men treat each other. The double standards and expectations that revolve around modern marriages. A play set in an earlier time period could have placed the blame for Jordan's neurorses on society. In 2017 it feels Jordan has more options but these retro patterns have formed a sand trap. Losing those friendships will shatter him but that may be the only way to get him to change.

Edit: I'm currently watching season three of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. It's interesting to compare how Rebecca's issues have caused her friends to rally around her in support rather than pull away. Some of them are enabling her but others are offering more constructive feedback. Rebecca's story may yet be a "coming of age" tale. Jordan's is a "tragedy" as we never see him overcome his self-defeating flaws.

Updated On: 11/19/17 at 08:08 AM