For our first of two visits to the Egyptian this festival, we saw the documentary/one-man show called The Primary Instinct. Character actor Stephen Tobolowsky is a prolific storyteller, a sort of modern-day Garrison Keillor (joke!). Recorded at the Moore Theatre here in Seattle, the film is a showcase of Tobolowsky’s podcast and stage show, with a bit of explanatory bits bookending the performance. The director and the star were both on hand for some Q&A after the film, and Mr. Tobolowsky even hung back to give some love to those audience members who wanted it (handshakes, photos, and the like). I hope we don’t find out later that he’s secretly some huge jerk (like some celebrities we shan’t name), because he really seems to be one of those people who “gets it” and can also convey it to others. I think I may have to check out the podcast.

The Primary Instinct‘s Bechdel rating: EXEMPT.