The vagaries of scheduling mean that this past weekend, I saw a fantastic show (“Jerk”) immediately followed by a crappy one (“John Cassavetes’ Husbands”). The two were separated by 20 minutes and a creative chasm. The twofer review is in today’s paper.

About “Jerk” I’ll only add that at two points in the show, the audience is supposed to read from a fanzine. Not only is it a rare occurrence at the theater (the momentum is interrupted while we read in silence) but the zine itself is a beautiful, numbered artifact designed by Stephen O’Malley — better known as a member of doom-metal outfit Sunn O))) — and illustrated by Jean-Luc Verna. The text consists of two short stories by “Jerk” author Dennis Cooper, written in the voice of the play’s narrator. My only beef about the show is that it’s the fourth collaboration between Cooper and director Gisèle Vienne but the first we’ve seen here. So much to catch up with!

As for Doris Mirescu’s take on “John Cassavetes’ Husbands,” I’ll just point out that it originated at a series of acting and directing classes she taught at the School of Visual Arts. When I read that in the program, my first thought was: “This woman teaches?!?”

Finally, a note about the Public Theater. The two lowest star ratings I’ve given since I’ve been at the Post have been for shows at the Public — “Husbands” and Peter Sellars’ “Othello.” And I think it’s great: It means that this is a place that takes risks. When they pay off, it’s exhilarating; the downside is that when the shows crash, they crash harder. Always, though, I’m grateful that an institution of this size is willing to go out on a limb. I’ll take that any day over a Manhattan Theater Club, Lincoln Center Theater or Roundabout, which are sitting pretty in the middle. Incidentally, just how long will “South Pacific” hog the main space at LCT? How does this endless commercial run fit with a non-profit’s mission?