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A poignant exploration of intergenerational queer life: explicit, stimulating, intimate and bittersweet.Summary
Rating
Excellent
F**king Men made its debut 15 years ago, in a time when the expression of the LGBTQ+ experience differed in many ways from today. More recently, writer Joe DiPietro felt encouraged to revive the play, but recognised the need for a rewrite. With the help of Director Steven Kunis, this new version came to life.
Upon entering the Waterloo East Theatre, the sound of familiar camp classics greets the audience in the small but perfectly formed and intimate space. This setting intensifies the experience of the next 90 minutes.
Raunchy pop music fills the performance space, complementing Cara Evans’ set design and the lighting by Alex Lewer. Together, they create the ambiance of an ageing gay club, with an ombré of blue to pink. Simple yet effective, Perspex screens diagonally divide the stage, allowing for alternative scenes to be imagined while maintaining the room’s central focus on an oval bed. The lighting on these screens transitions seamlessly from transparent to opaque, effectively introducing the cast: Joe Bishop, Jason Eddy, David Michaels, and Rory Connolly.
Portraying multiple characters across various scenes, the cast delve into intergenerational queer exploits. As the characters’ lives intersect, we witness different facets of their experiences. They portray the universal themes of connection, validation, doubts, and fears, which resonate with multiple audiences, not just those within the LGBTQ+ community. However, it’s important to note that this is an adult performance, featuring explicit language, nudity, violence, and stylised sexual intimacy. Yet, these elements feel authentic and integral to the intertwining plots, aligning with the play’s title and expectations.
The performances are exceptionally well-rounded, with seamless transitions between scenes and characterisations. This is underscored by excellent costume choices by Evans, along with shifts in accent. While the settings and circumstances may be familiar to the gay community, there are moments of unexpected vulnerability that resonate deeply. Particularly moving are the performances of Connolly, portraying a rent boy believing he could have something more with a former client (Eddy), and Michaels, grappling with the grief of his unacknowledged lover, Philip. Bishop’s appearances as Philip’s ghost make poignant use of the dividing screen, symbolising their enduring separation.
Pietro’s update of this bittersweet Fringe classic is refreshing and relevant. Couched within timeless and moving themes, the final moments of the play poignantly and perfectly capture the cyclical nature of some gay relationships, tinged with a hopeful melancholy — perhaps they will “find someone else.”
Written by Joe DiPietro (based on Schnitzler’s La Ronde)
Produced by: Adam Roebuck
Directed by: Steven Kunis
Movement & Intimacy Direction by: Lee Crowley
Set & Costume Design by: Cara Evans
Lighting Design by: Alex Lewer
Composed & Sound Design by: Julian Starr
Voice & Accent Coaching by: Amanda Stephens-Lee
F**king Men runs at the Waterloo East Theatre until Sunday 26 May. Further information and booking can be found here.
