REVIEW: Jason Biggs in Howard Korder's "Boys' Life"

1 On Friday night, I went to see Howard Korder's "Boys' Life," the 1988 stunted-adolescence play starring Jason Biggs (ex-Pete, AS THE WORLD TURNS) and Rhys Coiro (ENTOURAGE) at the Second Stage Theatre in New York. From 1995 to 2000, Biggs was the only male actor on AS THE WORLD TURNS to receive an Emmy nomination. Biggs is probably best known for starring in American Pie and its sequels. Some think of him as an actor who is best suited for the type of frat boy roles that have made him famous. He's moved away from that in recent years, but in "Boys' Life" he revisits that to some degree. The play is the story of three friends who are in a kind of prolonged adolescence. he "boys'" present variations of their efforts to balance their conflicting yearning to grow up but also hang on to their schoolboy way of relating to each other and women. Biggs plays the needy Phil and has a number of hilarious sequences during the show including a wonderful bedroom scene at the beginning at a party given by Jack and his wife. The funniest moment though came in a scene between Peter Scanavino's Don, who seems most ready to grow up, and a whacky girl he has a one night stand with, which risks his budding romance and move into adulthood. There are lulls in the action and not all the dialogue is crisp or engaging. One of the most interesting parts of the show is the set changes that happen between scenes. The rotating sets moved around by the cast are amazingly well done. The show closes on Sunday so go see it if you can. But I suspect we will continue to see "Boys' Life" performed for years to come. As for Biggs, his career is still shining bright. He has the acting chops and comedic timing to last a long time in this business. GRADE: C+