Charming with a side of creepy.

In The Chronic Single’s Handbook, solo artist Randy Ross takes on the persona of a guy—who shares his name, although the piece is based on a comic novel—who travels the world in search of love.

Except mostly he seems to be looking for sex and he’s not above paying disadvantaged women of colour for it. There’s also a scene of domination, initiated by a female partner, that involves a revoltingly misogynist safe word that’s used as a joke.

So what’s to like? Well, despite the character’s apparent lack of meaningful empathy, his candour and resulting vulnerability are refreshing. And lots of the material is funny: “The true adventurer sees his glass as half full, even if there are things swimming in it.”