Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – In the bittersweet HOLD ME IN THE WATER, Ryan J. Haddad candidly shares an episode of love and romance in his life

• By drediman
• April 29, 2025
• No Comments

Over at Playwrights Horizons, you’ll be able to find Ryan J. Haddad’s bittersweet Hold Me in the Water, the latest in the the playwright/actor’s growing collection of autobiographical solo shows chronicling his experience as a gay disabled man in New York City. Ever in search for love and connection in the big city (to be sure, there’s more than a hint of Sex and the City in Haddad’s shows), this latest chapter finds the winning monologist finally stumbling upon real romance when he falls for a man during an artist retreat. As it so happens, the feelings are mutual — well, for the most part, at least. Over the course of the subsequent months, they continue to date and eventually flirt with the possibility of a committed relationship. The premise being set, how will things turn out for Haddad in the love department (no spoilers here)?

Here, Haddad is at his most mature and calmly self-reflective. Suffice to say, we see a less caustic and intense side to the performer than we did in his previous outings. Hold Me in the Water is a sweet if slight show — and nothing less than a perfectly pleasant time at the theater. Some things remain in place, however, such as his refreshingly graphic descriptions of sex and desire — particularly radical coming from someone disabled — as well as his disarming willingness to expose his physical and emotional vulnerabilities to audiences. Indeed, attending this latest creation is like hanging out with an old friend, especially if you’ve seen his other shows, which overlap just enough to give returning attendees a sense of continuity. But even if you haven’t been to one of his shows, Haddad’s personality — simultaneously sassy and warm — is so engaging and fabulous that it’s hard not to become an instant fan of his.

Taken together, his shows paint a portrait of a man in constant self-evaluation. Haddad’s impressive ability to examine himself in an objective manner is one of his most invaluable skills as a purveyor of the confessional solo show form, providing him a healthy stream of material to use as fodder for his performances. With every passing show — most of them presented at the Public (I’ve seen Hi, Are You Single?, Falling for Make Believe, and Dark Disabled Stories) — his status as a noteworthy personality within the queer and theater community has concurrently grown, which was evident by the way the audience hooped and hollered as he ascended from the stage floor at the top of Hold Me in the Water. Taken together, these theatrical chapters form a portrait of a man whose unfolding story may just become an iconic New York story.

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HOLD ME IN THE WATER
Off-Broadway, Play
Playwrights Horizons
1 hour, 10 minutes (without an intermission)
Through May 7