If you've ever seen John Leguizamo in "Freak", than you know what it is to watch a man give of his soul for two hours.
Creating a unique hybrid of every kind of one-man show performance ever, Leguizamo tells us the abridged story of his life, and goes out of his way (with a riveting, touching, hilarious performance) to cushion the many blows he has to reveal for an audience so unsuspecting of a damaged genius.
Directed for television by Spike Lee, John's *stage* performance was nominated for a Tony in 1998 for Best Actor In A Play (he lost to Anthony LaPaglia). His past show, "Spic-O-Rama", showed a diversity to play the eccentric characters of his life. But "Freak" proves something much greater: on such a fluid, risky platform as a one-man show with nearly no blackouts, Leguizamo can express emotions that are not yet eccentric or dull, but real. To see him give child abuse a whimsical perspective leaves a mark on you.
This is what he will be remembered for.
*****
Creating a unique hybrid of every kind of one-man show performance ever, Leguizamo tells us the abridged story of his life, and goes out of his way (with a riveting, touching, hilarious performance) to cushion the many blows he has to reveal for an audience so unsuspecting of a damaged genius.
Directed for television by Spike Lee, John's *stage* performance was nominated for a Tony in 1998 for Best Actor In A Play (he lost to Anthony LaPaglia). His past show, "Spic-O-Rama", showed a diversity to play the eccentric characters of his life. But "Freak" proves something much greater: on such a fluid, risky platform as a one-man show with nearly no blackouts, Leguizamo can express emotions that are not yet eccentric or dull, but real. To see him give child abuse a whimsical perspective leaves a mark on you.
This is what he will be remembered for.
*****