CRITIC’S PICK
From his first moment on stage, Los Angeles storyteller/comic Les Kurkendaal radiates what can best be described as an optimistic energy. He maintains this for more than 50 minutes while describing his experience traveling to Russia. He tells us that he had heard that Russians hate black people (he’s black); and that, to compound things, Russians hate gay people (he’s gay). Needless to say, he was pretty apprehensive. But he was in a new relationship — his last one ended in part because his boyfriend didn’t share his love of travel and adventure — and was accompanying his new boyfriend on a work trip, determined to explore and be self-reliant, despite his concerns about being essentially unwelcome.
From this setup, we follow his trip, meeting locals who are fascinated with his being black, hearing him learn to use the subway and knowing he was intent on enjoying every minute of his experience; he also recalls visits to museums and restaurants, like Red Square and Lenin’s Tomb. Along the way, he acquires perspective about living as a gay man in America versus how it is in Russia — where it’s fine as long as no one realizes it.
If this sounds a little bland, it’s not. The show is entirely about Kurkendaal and his ability to help us visualize his journey. He included a couple of flashbacks to moments that helped form his attitudes — one about his first air travel as a young boy and another about his former relationship — but their point was to impress on us his love of travel, adventure and how he is unafraid of new things. And like all good storytellers, he makes you not only like him, but want to listen and know more.
By the end, his attitudes have changed. Russia is no longer the hostile place he’d imagined; he’s proven that he can “figure it out” in a foreign country without speaking the language; and he’s earned respect from his boyfriend, as well as both of them learning a valuable lesson for any couple: that they travel well together. Although the show has several funny moments, it’s not exactly a comedy piece. Instead, Walking While Black in Moscow is more accurately described as a slice-of-life tale told by a very engaging man you can’t help but like. It’s a wonderful, uplifting way to spend an hour and I highly recommend it.
The Cincinnati Fringe Festival runs through June 15. Find showtimes, tickets and more info here. Check out more reviews from our CityBeat team here.
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 5, 2019.
