theater and a love story. With so many irons in the fire, it is amazing how much it feels of a piece.
The background for the event is the story of the bizarre, historical figure, Anthony Comstock (1844-1915), anti-vice activist, censor of the United States and habitual masturbator (an activity he denounced in public). His draconian rules and laws (Comstock Act of 1873) dominated a good part of the early 20th Century, not only directed at pornography, but also birth control and the independence of women, gambling and patent medicine.
The event takes place within a room. Enforcing these orders within the room is the nameless authority figure (Elisa Grace Davis at this performance), who orders the audience around and forces them to participat
e by answering phone calls, and naming names (characters) and books. As the audience caught on, the names got sillier and sillier to great comic effect. It was quite impressive how well the castretained the suggestions throughout the evening, never hesitating to summon up their character names throughout. Davis did yeoman service, being stern and demanding but also showing great gentleness when one audience member became flustered with a question.
The central story focuses on two young men (Sammy Rivos and understudy Camilo Zuqui) in the 1960s happily pursuing a career in writing tacky pornographic paperbacks, while their long suffering wives (Alaina Bozarth and Alexis Pratt) slowly discover some surprising truths about their own relationships. The two guys are broadly written, almost cartoonish, and are hard to empathize with. The two women have much more depth and complexity, equipping them with both humor and passion—something that the 
Comstock ethos refused to recognize in women. Ranging from an absurdist dinner party to more realistic love scenes to writing scenes with almost a musical comedy pace, the quartet constantly adapts to the shifting rhythms with great flair.
Audiences definitely want to arrive 15-20 minutes early to examine the various interactive exhibits on the walls, many of which come into action once the play begins. There’s also delightful pre-show music featuring such New York cabaret favorites as Eartha Kitt and Blossom Dearie. Lieberman, with contributions from Sophia Carlin, Emily Cummings, Caroline DeFazio, Frankie Otis and Melina Rabin, has created one of the most intriguing theatrical events in town.
Dirty Books runs through April 30 at Bated Breath Theatre, 39 W. 14th St., Suite 301, NYC. Tickets are available via dirtybooksplay.com
Photos by Bjorn Bolinder
