Shawn Salley

June designated as Pride Month is a time when a great many plays and entertainments are geared specifically for the gay community. The latest is Mickey Gooch, Jr.’s "Silverback Mountain," a semi-musical comedy on relevant gay themes that has been given a less than irrelevant treatment and production. Gooch, Jr. has written and stars in the show which is probably more than one person should do at one time, with original songs by Alex Lewis. The subtitle “A new gay jungle play” suggests a farcical evening but Sam LaFrage’s scattershot direction undermines what real comedy is inherent in the premise. Some of the humor and gimmicks are reminiscent of "The Book of Mormon" which is much slicker and more successful at this kind of parody. [more]