Monster in a Box

Spalding Gray is a writer, actor and performer who in 1987 made a reputation in America with the comic monologue SWIMMING, which was made into a film by Jonathan Demme. Last year, director Steven Soderbergh filmed Gray‘s latest solo act GRAY‘S ANATOMY, dealing with Gray‘s troubles with a curious eye disease. In between, MONSTER IN A BOX was put on film by Nick Broomfield in 1991. Again, Gray talks for ninety minutes, bringing up many aspects of modern life. His orating figure is set against a visual background, the light and space of which are constantly changing, and he is backed by the music of his ‘mate‘, Laurie Anderson. Gray tells about his new life after the sudden rise to fame in 1987 and what this entailed in the way of parties, film premières and writer‘s blocks. The monster in the title refers to his book , an 1800-page autobiography he was unable to finish.