The Son Of A Man - Cooper Bates

Cooper Bates gets deep in his memoir worthy, one-man-show, “The Son Of A Man”. This examination of his upbringing and relationship with his parents, especially his father – is a moving and relatable tale that clearly resonated with the small audience at Whim Space on Sunday afternoon. Bates delves into his past with no pretension, revisiting his own memories while trying to remain objective – but as the Oscar Wilde quote that opens the show tells us, at some point all children begin to judge their parents.

Broken promises abound on his journey to find forgiveness for his father. The betrayals just keep coming and eventually lead to a stunning revelation when he receives a phone call from his estranged sister. Bates touches on some heavy themes like domestic abuse but the gifted storyteller does so in a gentle way to make it palatable for a wide audience. “The Son of A Man” is a moving tale for all to enjoy and many to find relatable.