Review: SHLONG SONG Has Cojones at 18th and Union

The most common subject in comedy is sex. But Woody Shticks (brainchild of Noah Duffy and star of 18th and Union's "Shlong Song") is not just a comedian, he's a dynamic storyteller. It's a man talking about his sexual journey. At times, it's heartbreaking. At other times, it's fantastic. Either way, you'll laugh along with him.

Though Duffy feels very rehearsed in his presentation, he does not feel robotic. His anger, his joy, and his frankness all feel real, making the question of whether or not these stories are true irrelevant. They're specific until he branches them out, pinpointing the bigger picture at play that makes you stop laughing and start reflecting. Shticks invites us to apply his experience to the gay community as a whole. Whether or not they're true, they epitomize.

Though Shticks is the alter ego of Noah Duffy, Duffy does not hide behind this character: he allows himself to be vulnerable.

"Shlong Song" is not a complicated show-it's Noah Duffy playing Woody Shticks, regaling the audience with his sexual timeline. Shticks holds nothing back: he gives every juicy detail, he changes in and out of different iterations of barely-there shorts and tank-tops, and he makes passionate, unfiltered statements about society's mistreatment of the gay community.

Shticks uses a tremendous amount of colorful language in his story telling. Some examples: describing masturbating into a library book and leaving a "silent message"; categorizing Seattle's straight, male community as "sad plaid", and attracting said men like "moths to a flamer."

The take away: a lot of dark, racy comedy punctuated with lessons in strength in the face of bigotry. For its wit and nerve, I give 18th and Union's "Shlong Song" an affected 4/5 stars. Go with open hearts and open legs.

Forewarning: This show is NSFW. There is nudity, and there is a lot of sex talk (but what'd you expect with a show called "Shlong Song"?).

"Shlong Song" performs at 18th and Union through February 24th, 2017. For tickets and information, visit them online at www.18thandunion.org.