RECOMMENDED

Austrian playwright Arthur Schnitzler’s “La Ronde” focused on sexual encounters in nineteenth-century Vienna; it was a pornographic scandal. Joe DiPietro’s “Fucking Men” takes the same format, and moves it to the gay community with intriguing results.

It’s a meaningful look at the desire for connection and the work it takes to maintain it. The piece’s construction is a tad repetitive; emphasizing pull-out quotes from each scene wears a bit. And the final consolation that “you’ll meet someone else” offers precious little solace to a grieving lover. But the dialogue’s clever, the pacing is brisk and the guys are uniformly hot.

Standouts include Ryan Lanning as the “HIV-enhanced” playwright who pushes back when muscled by a closeted movie star, and Arthur Luis Soria as a street hustler who finds a dubious love. Both deliver the show’s sharpest lines with crackerjack timing. It’s perfect Pride Weekend fodder that should last beyond Pride. (Lisa Buscani)

Bailiwick Chicago at The Theater Building, 1225 W. Belmont, (773)327-5252, through August 29.