The first character we meet in Caytha Jentis’ titillatingly titled Sex Work/Sex Play is Alex (Constance Zaytoun), a plucky, no-nonsense Brooklynite who vapes weed while doing yoga and knows how to rock a Patti Smith T-shirt.  She’s also the divorced mother of an attractive 20-year-old daughter named Cassidy (Amber Gatlin), a college student who vows to fight the male-dominated sexual status quo but also isn’t too proud to boast “My eyeliner’s so sharp it could kill a man!”. Sex Work/Sex Play kicks off when Cassidy tells her mom that she is going on a date with an older man named Dave (Josh Hyman).  But when Dave arrives, we soon learn that this is NOT her mama’s Dating Game.  For those who identify more with Alex’ Gen X sensibilities, be prepared to add yet another entry into your e-dictionary: “sugar dating”.  This opening scenario alone, with some eye-openingly frank (and fascinating) discussions between a mother and a daughter, could be expanded into a lively 90-minute play on its own.  The dialogue between Zaytoun’s Alex and Gatlin’s Cassidy shows just how much sexual mores can change in the span of one generation.  However, this is only scratching the surface of Sex Work/Sex Play.  It turns out that Alex recognizes Dave from a “coffee date” a few months prior.  Dave, in turn, has never really forgotten that date, despite ghosting Alex.  He turns his interest from daughter to mother, relentlessly seducing Alex with ravioli served with an extra side of soul-baring.  Will this plucky, no-nonsense divorcee submit to Dave’s hirsute charms?

Meanwhile, in Sex Work/Sex Play‘s parallel plot, a neglected suburban wife and mother named Maggie (Kerry McGann) is indulging in wine-dipped Oreos, bemoaning to the audience about how the spark has gone from her marriage.  We learn that this is largely thanks to her husband’s pornography addiction.  Ironically, her accidental discovery of OnlyFans becomes the fuse for Maggie’s own dynamite of a sexual reawakening.  Her newly re-ignited liberation, accompanied by a very LOUD orgasm, comes courtesy of a ripped personal trainer named Jay (Christopher Trindade) who moonlights as an adult film star named J-Rod (Or is he an adult film performer who moonlights as a personal trainer?).  Eventually, the two plots– as well as all five characters– come together for a conclusion that’s no less than hilarious.  At this point, Sex Work/Sex Play may seem to morph into an R-rated, over-the-top farce… but the way the characters’ stories are carefully created, presented, and interwoven, the audience believes that this crazy salad of a comedy could really happen.  In fact, if playwright Caytha Jentis had revealed that Sex Work/Sex Play were based on a true story, this reviewer for one wouldn’t be surprised. 

Briskly and sharply directed by Rosie Gunther, Sex Work/Sex Play occasionally feels like an adults-only sitcom, with a talented, energetic ensemble cast who know how to be funny.   All five performers are excellent. As Alex, the gifted Constance Zaytoun is a standout.  As Dave, Josh Hyman arguably gets to enjoy the most complicated character arc in the cast– and he not only succeeds, but revels in the opportunity for his character to go wild onstage.  As Maggie, Kerry McGann frequently steals the scene with her moments of high hilarity. But behind the laughter and its occasionally larger-than-life moments, Sex Work/Sex Play also explores some serious sexual themes in a bold, smart way.  There’s frank talk about such subjects as infidelity, sex work, STD’s, the dark side of dating apps, pornography addiction, and more… and Jentis’ script is unflinchingly honest throughout.  This is S-E-X in 2023, baby: the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty.  At various times, each of the characters take turns speaking to the audience directly. In the hands of a less experienced director or actors, the proverbial “breaking the fourth wall” can sometimes come across as a lazy gimmick.  In Sex Work/Sex Play, this creative decision actually works to the play’s benefit.  Not only does it give all five actors their own well-deserved moment in the spotlight, but it also allows a further fleshing out (ahem…) of the aforementioned serious issues underneath the zany comedy.

In a world of playwrights, directors, and performers who always feel the need to “play it safe”, Sex Work/Sex Play will prove that audiences are always eager for an unapologetically bold, raunchy, and provocative theater experience.  You’ll definitely “swipe right” for this production! 

Emerging Artists Theatre’s World Premiere of Sex Work/Sex Play runs through Sunday, October 29, with performances on Wednesdays at 7 pm, Fridays at 7 pm, Saturdays at 9pm, and Sundays at 7pm. Running time is 85 minutes.  Performances take place at the 28th Street Theater, 15 West 28th Street (between Broadway and 5th Avenue), 2nd Floor (elevator accessible), New York, NY 10001. Subways: N/R/1/2 to 28th Street, B/D/F/W to 34th Street. For ticket information, visit Sex Work/Sex Play – Emerging Artists Theatre

Photos by Richard Rivera.