Dachau for Queers, the brilliant new play by Daniel Neer produced by Neer and Ted Gorodetzky of The LAB, had its long-awaited premiere at Theatre Exile as part of Philly Fringe. And the wait was worth it. Based on real events in a particularly dark time of America’s queer history, this important play about self-identity and sexuality is an important moniker of our society’s treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, and resonates deeply with current zeitgeist. 

Set at California’s notorious Atascadero Psychiatric Hospital (nicknamed “Dachau for Queers”), the plot follows the arrest and internment of a young man, (Jonah Goodson), who through a haze of psychotropic drugs and shock therapies, navigates his way out of the hospital to build a meaningful life. Neer’s unique writing miraculously juxtaposes beautiful romance, surreal comedy, and blisteringly painful drama together in a jagged soup-like, yet surprisingly lyrical, form of storytelling. This is not a dark story: what remains is a story of hope, empathy, and resilience. 

The non-linear journey of Jonah Goodson was played convincingly and movingly by Tristan Jenis. This was an outstanding performance, convincing and moving from start to finish. His myriad scenes from past, present, and future all resonated the mantra Neer infiltrates throughout the show: “I am me, and it’s all that I am, and all that I have, and all that I need.”

The other four supporting actors were major standouts, each in their own way. Neena Boyle, Ted Gorodetzky (who also directed), Avery Leach, and Lois Sach all played between five and six characters a piece, of varying personalities and identities. The range of these actors in this fast-paced work was astonishing, and much of the success of Neer’s excellent dialogue is due to the sure hand of these fine actors. Highlights of this strength and versatility were Lois Sach’s excellent portrayal of Oscar Wilde, the wonderful sensitivity of Avery Leach’s character Michael (the love interest), Ted Gorodetzky’s wonderfully irreverent portrayal of an exhausted Superman, and Neena Boyle’s expertly played Sissy, the caring and supportive sister to the main character. 

The simple but beautifully conceived production was designed by Neer and Gorodetzky of The LAB, with a minimal set of furniture that played multiple roles in varying scenes. A bed becomes a table, and then a judge’s bench, and finally a teacher’s desk, and a buzzing surgical light on a transistor radio takes narrative function in the flow of scenes. Creative lighting and sound design by Neer and Gorodetzky added to ease the flow from Jonah’s fractured mind-scape, leading the audience through the convoluted by expertly written play. 

Director Ted Gorodetzky showed sensitive understanding with the guidance of actors through their characters, with special kudos for scenes of intimacy and some superb slow-motion stage combat. 

Neer’s play is a finely written work and is truly one of the best fringe shows this season. It resonated deeply with me, and I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.