When it comes to writing material that is bound to appeal to large audiences, it’s hard to go wrong with writing a family comedy. Throw in enough awkward situations and raunchy humor, and the result is usually bound to be an experience that will leave you laughing out loud from beginning to end. Such is the case with He’s Your Daddy, the latest outing to be presented at Manhattan Repertory Theatre.

In 2018, whenever you hear a racist deny that they’re racist, there’s often some variation of a frequent line that pops up: “I have a black friend!” “I have a black boyfriend/girlfriend!” “I voted for a black president!” The list goes on and on. It’s a scenario that often plays itself out in real life conversations regarding race, and is a topic that is explored in a hysterical and over the top fashion in Dirty Linen, the latest full-length play to be presented as part of Manhattan Repertory Theatre’s New Play Production program.

It’s not uncommon to see theatre explore issues concerning the LGBTQ community. Some of the best plays I’ve reviewed over the past year or so are the ones that do a superb job at doing exactly that. However, what I haven’t seen as often are plays which specifically focus of LGBTQ parents. Yet Past Perfect – a new full-length play written by Rita Lewis – attempts to do exactly that. Earlier in the year, I had been invited the review the show during its return to Manhattan Rep’s stage, and after a minor delay in this production’s return, I had the chance to get a glimpse this past weekend.