Set in an actual athletic club, State of Balance takes place among kettlebells, yoga mats and medicine balls. At the start of the show, our hero Switzman shows up to his gym’s open house for a workout, but in a preposterous turn of events, he ends up hosting while the scheduled trainer is caught in traffic. It’s goofy fun at first, as Switzman demonstrates a few exercises and reminisces about what brought him to the gym in the first place.
But what begins as a silly romp turns into an endearingly earnest love letter to the power of the gym. Switzman shares his discomfort with the impersonal nature of the big box facilities and their excessive mirrors. He shares how various blows to his self esteem led him to addictions, first with cocaine and then food, and he describes the times he dealt with mortality. Ultimately, we discover that it was the gym that helped him build up his courage and resilience, to rediscover his state of balance.
Heartfelt and raw, this show is a testament to the importance of finding a place to strengthen yourself and combat your weaknesses.
State of Balance is at Atlantic Avenue Athletic Club until July 11
