Written by
Madoussou Kamara, Ambar Ramirez, and edited by Natasha Dawsen

Dennis Bush’s play HEAD FIRST at the Fresh Fruit Festival this past July, somehow gives us a romance with humor from a lead character who suffers from brain seizures due to a car accident.

Cooper Koch gives powerful performance as the tortured Kyle who blacks out during intimacy and never remembers what happens. But it’s Austin Larkin who wins the lion’s share of praise for playing loving boyfriend, Kevin, and gracefully switching into a multitude of memorable characters and never confusing the audience. Memorable – to everyone but Kyle

Director Lester Thomas Shane deftly creates a cocktail of affection, tension, and humor making this a really involving piece allowing both actors to create characters so completely realistic. On the surface, this is a play about the travails of a couple dealing with the aftermath of a devastating accident, but underneath we have the story of a young man finding and accepting himself and his world. One might look at Larkin’s characters as all the things Kevin needs his boyfriend to be. Dennis Bush offers up a script that gives actors a challenge and the audience a realistic experience ending happily – logically – but happily.