I'm Just a Caveman

Gender is a comedy mainstay for a simple reason: It can be boiled down, packaged into neat little stereotypes and fed to audiences anxious to validate their behavior in the name of inborn sex traits. Ha ha, ladies--men are stupid oafs unable to process any emotion more complex than hunger. And guys--women are ball-breaking, free-spending bitches. With PMS. See--it's funny! Truthfully, this type of comedy makes me squirm. And I hate watching audience members nudge each other when they recognize snippets of themselves in nasty little pigeonholes laid out by the Jeff Foxworthys and Ray Romanos of the world. It's quite a paradox that this agonizingly simplistic form of comedy is wrought out of such an intricate issue, and it's refreshing when comedians take the time to explore gender beyond the Jon and Kate Gosselin archetype. Defending the Caveman accomplishes this feat, only sometimes treading in familiar "battle of the sexes" territory. This one-man show does a good job of incorporating issues like feminism and non-traditional male roles into the routine, while still evoking familiar laughs. The comedic play, which is the longest-running one-man Broadway show in history, will be performed at Dallas' Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm St., Tuesday through June 21. Showtimes are at 8 p.m., with special afternoon performances at 2 p.m. June 20 and 21. Tickets are $45 to $50 and may be purchased by visiting defendingthecaveman.com.
June 16-21, 8 p.m.; June 20-21, 2 p.m., 2009