‘Awkward Sex… and the City’: Sex-positive comedy show coming to Richmond

Emily Richardson, Staff Writer

New York City-based comedy show “Awkward Sex… and the City” is coming to Richmond as part of its current tour, with comedians bringing their recollections of awkward and retrospectively hilarious romantic and sexual encounters to the Firehouse Theatre on Feb. 16.  

“Awkward Sex…” throws the typically taboo subject into the spotlight, featuring a number of experienced storytellers looking to make those who have had their own sexual misadventures feel seen and heard, according to its website. 

The show is part of Firehouse Theatre’s “Firehouse Fringe” series, which highlights various unconventional or experimental performances, according to Joel Bassin, Firehouse’s producing artistic director.

“We’re a platform for artists to try stuff,” Bassin said. “We’re very open to whatever an artist comes up with because we want to be a platform for the art.”

Firehouse is excited to be introducing the show to the Richmond audience because of how universal the theme is, Bassin said.

“Many of us have been in the position of having awkward sex or dealing with those difficult moments that are both intimate and deeply personal, and we’re learning how to navigate through them,” Bassin said. “I think Natalie and her gang have tapped into something that there’s an audience for.”

Natalie Wall, creator and producer of “Awkward Sex…” hails from Stafford. Wall said she needed a creative outlet after graduating from James Madison University in 2010. “Awkward Sex…” began as a blog while she was working retail in Fredericksburg.

“It really resonated with people,” Wall said. “Once I was able to get up to New York the next year, I finally got the courage after a year of living in the city to try it out as a live show. Once it was a live show, I never looked back.”

The show is now performed monthly in New York City and tours nationwide — in the current tour, comedians are hitting Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and more, according to its website — which Wall said she appreciates as New York is rich with performances and shows.

“When I lived in Virginia, I felt like there wasn’t a show where people could experience these very vulnerable but very funny stories about something so universal to them, like sex and how weird and awkward it can be,” Wall said.

Wall said she wants audiences to know they’re not alone in their awkward sexual encounters, but at the end of the day, there’s no such thing as awkward sex as long as it’s safe and legal.

“As long as you’re having a good time, even if you’re queefing, even if your limbs are moving in ways you don’t want them to, even if you fall off wherever you’re doing it,” Wall said. “As long as you’re having a good time, that’s all that matters.”

Wall and three other storytellers are featured in the show, each with their own stories about awkward sexual encounters, dating experiences or relationships.

“No one’s stories are similar, and no one’s vibe on stage are similar. Most of us are pretty high-energy, but you’re going to go on a different journey with each of us and you’re going to fall in love with all of us individually,” Wall said.

Calvin Cato, one of the show performers, is a New York-based standup comedian and storyteller. Cato said he and Wall met approximately 10 years ago and he loved the idea of “Awkward Sex….”

“As someone who has definitely gone on a fair share of dates that have ended very awkwardly, I was very on board with the concept of it,” Cato said.

Cato said something especially important about the show is that all of the stories are told by people who are sex-positive.

“It helps other people feel comfortable about their own awkward sexual encounters, and it’s also very anti-slut-shaming,” Cato said. “A lot of it is about being very sex-positive and understanding that sex is a natural thing that happens. Faux pas and foibles are going to occur from it, for sure.”

Cato said one of his past stories involved going on a date with a guy who turned out to be a hoarder, and having to navigate through his apartment to get to his bed.

“I hope people can come to this show and take away the sense that they should never feel embarrassed about anything that they’ve ever done,” Cato said. “because trust us — we’ve done far worse.”

Tickets to the show are $10 in advance or $15 the day of and can be purchased online.