‘Fruit Cocktail’ Shakes Things Up

In his latest Highways monologue, “Fruit Cocktail,” Tim Miller reclaims the word “fruit” from its use as a derisive term for gay men, pointing out the many fine qualities of fruit and observing that “fruits are the nicest names people call us.”

Then he illustrates: After hecklers (planted within the audience) hurl oranges at him, Miller takes one of the oranges and sensuously squeezes the juice over his naked body, transforming the fruit from an emblem of disapproval into part of the fun.

Miller doesn’t say much about AIDS or political activism here. He returns to reminiscences of his teen years: anxiety about when pubic hair would sprout (audience members, holding up outstretched arms, mimic a field of pubic hair), a brief fling with a girl at 13, the college dance student who seduced Miller to the strains of “Amen” from Handel’s “Messiah,” the moment Miller came out to his parents (who took the news relatively well). Call it “Miller Lite.”

Self-deprecating humor recurs. At one point, beginning a fantasy sequence, Miller says, “This is the spot in the show, if I’d gotten that Rockefeller grant, we’d have a fog machine.”

The affirmation of living and loving as a gay man isn’t significantly different from previous Miller monologues. This one is longer than some and could use some trimming. Still, Miller’s ample skills as raconteur and dancer keep it engaging.

* “Fruit Cocktail,” Highways, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. Fridays-Saturdays, 8:30 p.m. Ends March 30. $12. (213) 660-8587. Running time: 1 hour, 55 minutes.