Monster in a Box

I just finished listening to Spalding Gray's monologue Monster in a Box. It is the only thing that I actually purchased from Audible.com (a whole $10.95). I figured that it was worth purchasing, as the audio version is the more pure form of this work and as opposed to a mere book reading. Besides, I had already read the monster, Impossible Vacation, years ago. Although the audio was pretty poor, it was still fun to listen to. It was funny of course, and full of his Rhode Island accent (a mix between New York and New England with a lisp on top of it). I only wish they had all his monologues on Audible!!

Some parts of this monologue were so funny, that my mouth hurt from smiling and laughing so much. I wonder if anyone saw this crazy, happy woman walking her baby and listening to her Palm. It was really funny when he described being cast for the stage manager in the play Our Town, and he said, "Get Garrison Keillor." Just happened to be reading Lake Wobegon Days right now as well. Talk about a totally disparate monologist (more on a future post). There were also premonitory but funny lines like, "His insanity was leaking into mine." I kept thinking about his ill-fated battle with depression and untimely death. Nonetheless, he was a genius at expressing his experiences, neuroses and views from the edge of sanity. It is so unfortunate that he is no longer with us.