Playwright: Matthew Johnston. At: Public House Theatre, 3914 N. Clark St. Tickets: 773-230-4770. Pubhousetheatre.com; $10. Runs through: April 28 ( Thursdays only )
The coming-of-age ( and coming-out ) experience of gays and lesbians has changed tremendously in the last 30-some years, but Matthew Johnston's The 30 Year Gap, which is making its world premiere in a four-performance run at the Public House Theatre, aspires to narrow that chasm.
The play explores the lives of two Chicagoans: Chris ( Nate Speckman ), a young openly gay man in 2008, and his uncle, George ( Gavin Donnellan ), a closeted gay man struggling with his identity in 1978. As Chris digs somewhat obsessively through his uncle's past for answers that might shine a light on his own identity, he discovers some of the universal truths that bind their seemingly disparate experiences.
Conceptually, The 30 Year Gap is a wonderfully intentioned juxtaposition of these men's experiences, but Johnston's realization of this story and the bare-bones production value amount to something well short of the concept's promise. Without pop-culture references in the dialogue establishing that the year is 1978 or 2008 in Chicago, nothing in the plot, tone or aesthetic of the play suggests this context. Chris' experience doesn't come across as belonging to the 21st century, nor does George's feel unique to the '70s. It's really a play about a young gay man trying to connect to his uncle and understand why it was too hard for him to come out at his age.
Aside from scenes set in both decades, maybe a third of the quick 60-minute play is a surreal, existential and rather unsubtle conversation between Chris and older George ( Jim Scholle ). Rather than allowing the audience to draw parallels between the different timelines, Johnston makes them for us in these scenes. His truths are legitimate and genuine, but they don't need decrypting.
While the drama doesn't stick, the dialogue in the 2008 timelines in particular has a nice wit and Speckman ( in the non-imaginary dialogue scenes, at least ) creates a wry yet multidimensional character in Chris. His first date scenes with Jordan ( Cody Dericks ) are a highlight, with Johnston mastering the balance of chemistry and tension in their repartee.
Nothing about The 30 Year Gap feels inauthentic, distasteful or wrongin fact, it's the play's sincerity that keeps it on its feet. There's a soulful yearning in it for truth, and an honorable purpose to its message. Had there been a strong answer to the quesiton "why 1978/2008?" The 30 Year Gap might have discovered and communicated something profound, rather than themes and ideas readily apparent to lesbians and gays of all generations.