Review: BALONEY - SF'S GAY ALL-MALE REVUE at Oasis

Baloney- SF’s Gay All-Male Revue

Written and directed by Michael Phillis

Created by Michael Phillis and Rory Davis

Oasis

As the San Francisco beat reviewer, I’d be remiss for not covering this very quintessential gay show  now running in its 10th year at Oasis Nightclub. Revues, usually  loosely connected skits of song or dance, has its roots in 19th century entertainment and grew in popularity during the period 1916-1932. Baloney, created by actor, writer, director, and filmmaker Michael Phillis and choreographer Rory Davis takes the tried-and-true revue structure, flips it on its head with outrageous gay content, and moments of sheer visual brilliance.

Phillis runs the show and is a consummate Emcee – like Joel Grey’s Cabaret figure, Phillis is slick, charming, and quick-tongued, without the malevolence. He embraces Baloney’s mission statement: “Baloney brings fantasies to life on stage. Focusing on story, substance, and character, they entertain,  explore sexuality,  provoke discussion and stimulate discovery. They celebrate body diversity, gender diversity and queer sexuality in all its many forms.”

I was interested in just how Baloney could achieve such lofty goals. They did in spades, combining comedy, dance, music, and theater into a crowd-pleasing spectacle. There was a costumed spoof of Star Wars (with special raunchy lyrics) and a Broadway satire on sexting apps spoofing Cell Block Tango from Chicago sung by guest musical artist Marah Sotelo. A movie parody based on Castaway (Castagay) had the unlucky survivor pleasuring himself with his volleyball. Raunchy and pushing the taste meter, yet funny. Phyllis stated, “Don’t Yuck on someone’s Yum,” and this show would hit several types of  diverse couplings: solo, duo, and communal.

Rory Davis’s choreography was stellar, the ensemble cast more than capable of supporting the numbers, always coupled with symbiotic music by Tiffany, Kesha, Meatloaf and The Beastie Boys. The first act highlights included a ride on MUNI with some unusually frisky riders, and Marah Sotelo’s scorching cover of Meatloaf’s “Anything for Love."

What sold the show for me, and what makes Baloney incredibly special was a number titled "Room Service (Show Me Everything)". A hotel guest (Clarko) checks into his room, gets comfortable (naked but for a well-placed towel) and orders room service. It comes in the form of Michael Phillis in bell-captain uniform. He’s invited in, tempted with a joint and joins the guest on the bed. Its all lovely and romantic, backed by music by the Tindersticks (“Show Me Everything”). And then something extraordinary happened- Phyllis looks at the guy’s bare foot and you can see the look of obsession on his face. He grabs the big toe lovingly, gets down on his knees and we see the most (and probably only) sensual toe-sucking scene I’ve ever witnessed. The audience is both mildly shocked, then titillated, then drawn in as captive voyeur. It was a moment of pure existential beauty equal to a Fellini, Almodovar or Bernardo Bertolucci tableau, proving to me Michael Phillis is the real deal – and Baloney a must-see San Francisco institution.

Baloney continues in 2025. Tickets available at 415-795-3180 or boxoffice@sfoasis.com

Photo Credit: Nicole Fraser-Herron

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