| POSING: A TouchingTale of An Actor's Life |
| Written by Terry Maloney | |||
| Friday, 01 July 2011 08:00 | |||
 New York actor Patrick Askin is the author and star of Posing, an autobiographical one-man show which was recently performed before a sold-out house at The Wild Project theater on the Lower East Side. The charming and attractive Mr. Askin appears as an art class model, posing au naturel for most of the performance (naturally) while recounting his life experiences, from his childhood days of advising his older sister on her prom attire, to his mistreatment by the NYPD for the "crime" of crying on his Chelsea rooftop during a period of depression. This 75-minute tour de force takes the audience on an emotional roller coaster ride from comic to tragic and back again, with the emphasis on the comic. Mr. Askin's humor is of the self-deprecating variety, never mean-spirited or bitter, even when recounting career setbacks or relationships that ended badly. Injected throughout the show on an upstage screen were several vintage black and white film clips, including the classic scene from 42nd Street when Ruby Keeler is told by Warner Baxter that "you are going out a chorus girl but you must come back a star!" These well-chosen clips, although not directly related to the narrative, helped to set a lighthearted, nostalgic mood. The author/actor has been pursuing his craft since his graduation from the University of Virginia and, despite experiencing only limited commercial success (so far), is determined to continue in his chosen profession, regularly auditioning for both theatrical and film projects. "The overall theme of the show," said Mr. Askin, "is about being true to one's self and following your heart." After several years of perfecting the production, Mr. Askin is now hoping to take Posing to an off-Broadway theater for a limited run and is seeking investors. In the opinion of this critic, I feel Posing could be successful off-Broadway as an inspirational vehicle which speaks to thousands of struggling New York actors, both working and wannabes. Most one-person, autobiographical shows have starred celebrities, most recently Leslie Jordan's My Trip Down the Pink Carpet. Mr. Askin's production could be a breakthrough in the spirit of Nia Vardolos' My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which had its genesis as a one-woman show in Los Angeles. At the time Ms. vardolos was an unknown actor who turned her stories of growing up in a Greek-American family into a regional megahit and--thanks to the support of Mrs. Tom Hanks--a hugely successful film. Am I predicting the same kind of success for Mr. Askin's production? Not exactly. But what Posing has going for it is its universal subject matter told in a uniquely comic manner, and the irrestable charm of Mr. Askin portraying the character he was born to play. Kudos to Mr. Askin and director Jack Hyman for a very enjoyable--and thoughtful--evening of theater! Mr. Askin can also be seen in the 2010 Casper Andreas/Jesse Archer film Violet Tendencies. Caption: Patrick Askin who wrote and stars in Posing For more articles like POSING: A TouchingTale of An Actor's Life, please visit the Stage Reviews Section of TimesSquare.com
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