The proverbial phrase “revenge is a dish best served cold” is the mantra for Jiggs Burgess’s new play Wounded at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. It may be hot on the back patio of Carrol’s (Craig Taggart) Texas home, but he has arranged an extravagant afternoon tea for his old high school buddy Robert (Shaw Jones). Director Spencer Frankeberger’s production contains one of the most elaborate sets ever seen by this reviewer at Fringe. There are mountains of delicious looking pastries strewn across two large tables, tastefully set off by a few beautiful flower arrangements. There may be hummingbirds, cats and even a three-legged dog outdoors, but there is also a very dangerous Venus Flytrap just waiting for its victim.
Carrol has had a crush on Robert since their first day of high school, but Robert ran with the cool kids and Carrol was too gay for them. Carrol even followed Robert to meetings at the Baptist church even though he wasn’t himself a Baptist. Carrol spent time in NYC, published three successful books (one turned into a film) and returned home to take care of his cancer-stricken Daddy. With the help of the Baptist minister, Robert got a scholarship to Baylor and a degree as a psychologist. But his addictive personality led to a disastrous traffic accident that put him behind bars for years. He’s cleaned up his act and is soon due to be off parole. Now in their early 50s, the two gay men reunite for a long overdue reckoning. The two exchange memories and recriminations until the bitter finale. Taggart is a big, burly bear of a man with a Leslie Jordan like twang to his speech. Jones is stalwart and guarded like a gay Texan cowboy would be. This was not a match made in heaven.
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9676