Spalding Gray

Swimming to Cambodia sits at the boundary of comic monologue, memoir and theatre. Gray begins with his small role in The Killing Fields and moves through filmmaking, personal experience and the history surrounding the production. Jonathan Demme’s filmed version makes a desk-bound performance remarkably absorbing. Start there for the contrast between the minimal physical setup and the range of places evoked by the voice. The historical material deserves attention on its own terms, while the comic craft lies in the transitions and accumulating associations.