written by Charles Prior
Hal Cantor, in the one man show, entitled, “The Importance of Being Anxious,” recently at the Fringe, and winner of a well deserved encore award, is amazing. At the beginning of the full house production, Hal ‘anxiously’ informs the audience that everyone is receiving pencils (a hilarious throwback), so they can record how they feel after seeing ‘his baby.’ In this triumph of hope, there are many references to Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest;” hence, one could easily say that the inspirations for this piece were also Charlie Bukowski, Henry Miller, Alan Ginsburg, not to mention the Marquis de Sade. The play is a trip through Hal’s fascinating life, accompanied by a finely delineated series of screenshot, videos, and sound effects. He has a mellifluous way of walking into or melding with the set pieces. His story includes his conflicted stint with homosexuality versus his love for women; and basically living a life filled with angst and high anxiety. This show is not for the squeamish or faint of heart, as there is much talk of penises and vaginas, intimate details of his sexual cravings and affairs. But, if you want to marvel out how Hal is not afraid to spill his guts and rake himself over the coals, then go see this powerful show. He hails from Jewish Long Island, where his formative years felt overwhelming, and much of his discourse centers on the definition of Yiddish words, such as goy, schmegegge, and mensch, amidst many others, showing his vast iteration of language as a tool for conveying his deepest felt emotions with a cathartic tug at the heartstrings. The audience, composed of a mix of demographics, from young to older, gushingly greets him at the end with a sense of appreciation and resonance for the journey that shaped his life. They seemed to ‘get,’ his story, one filled with challenges like hatred, jealousy, and deception, and basically man’s inhumanity to fellow man. Hal is indeed a survivor, who always kept his wits about him and never ‘let the bastards bring him down.’ It reminds me how time is ever fleeting and how Jesus Christ finally found his path to redemption. Take the plunge and go deep with Hal Cantor when you get the chance. He tells the stories people need to be told. You will understand why everyday on earth is precious, indeed a miracle.
Bonnie Priever Curtain Up 