Jai Rodriguez: Dirty Little Secrets
Jai Rodriguez
Dirty Little Secrets
Society Cabaret, Hotel Rex, San Francisco, CA, September 26, 2014
Reviewed by Steve Murray for Cabaret Scenes
Jai Rodriguez, known most notably for his stint on the groundbreaking cable TV show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and playing Angel in Rent, previewed his new solo show at Society Cabaret. The title reflects his coming of age and coming out story, which he presented as story and song. Not bad as a preview, although long, long, long on story. What could have been a thumping powerhouse opener of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” (co-written with Bonnie McKee) was ruined by a meager sound system.
Between stories of first sex, parental disdain and professional experiences, Rodriguez stripped down psychologically and literally, removing clothes to reveal his beefcake physique (posters showed his bare torso, shirt wide open, so I figured he had to deliver on the promise). Gratuitous sexuality sells and Rodriguez fell into the trap of pandering versus relying on his cabaret talents. There were some good moments vocally—a nice rendition of “Gravity” and the encore of Five for Fighting’s “Superman” (“It’s Not Easy”), that showed promise. Rodriguez has turned his attention to serious acting on the small screen and, perhaps, if he considers another cabaret outing, he’ll devote similar concentration. He has the chops and the potential to deliver.
Category: Cabaret Reviews, San Francisco, San Francisco Cabaret Reviews
