Growing up in the south, with an abusive, alcoholic father and a passive and emotionally void mother, young Doug Knott made the decision never to pass on his family’s legacy, promising to himself never to become a father.  In "Last of the Knotts", Knott honestly and graphically tells this story.

In truth, it is hard to say if Knott’s story is relatable to a younger audience in the 21st century. Knott is very much a product of his time, having grown up in the 40s and 50s and having lived the flower-child life of the 60s. As interesting as it is to hear Knott’s story, it feels familiar; Hollywood has surely documented a similar tale.  What is interesting and what does raise philosophical and moral questions, is the idea of a constant and lifelong rebellion against one’s parents. The decision not to have children because of a self-imposed defiance against one's parents -- now that’s a thought-provoking tale.

Doug Knott, a storyteller and poet, is comfortable in front of an audience and it is clear that he is committed to the authenticity of his story.  But as is true of many memoirs, "Last of the Knotts" isn’t filled with enough drama and conflict. It is difficult to say that about someone’s life, “that didn’t seem like such a big deal” because for them it obviously was if it merits a performance; and yet, an audience needs something to keep them engaged. Although director Darren Lee Cole has assisted here in keeping Knott’s impersonations amusing, I never felt that I was being taken along on this journey with Knott. The pace and musical transitions, reflecting the different decades of Knott’s life, definitely helped place Knott at the time and place he passionately spoke about, but still it wasn’t quite enough.

I commend Knott on being so frank, brave in life, and for doing the hard thing by sticking to his truth. Some in the audience certainly seemed to relate to his story, and it is great that Soho Playhouse offers the space for these types of works to be shared. Take Knott with a certain grain of salt: it is a unique tale that he shares, but it is not for everyone.