I visited London this month and saw some plays in, and off, the West End. The first three had much in common. Small cast, 90 minute works featuring tortured gay artists.
Born With Teeth
by Liz Duffy Adams. Wyndham’s Theatre.
Timid William Shakespeare (Edward Bluemel) wants to finish writing Henry VI. His brash collaborator, Christopher Marlowe (Ncuti Gatwa. Understudy Justice Ritchie at my performance) prefers to fight, flirt and boast. This two hander hits all the tropes of toxic yaoi. We’re told that Queen Elizabeth is persecuting Catholics. And that Marlowe is a political pawn. But this doesn’t affect the slight plot till late in the game. Born With Teeth is primarily a chance to see handsome actors play ‘will they or won’t they?’ It’s a sexy, low stakes comedy… that often suggests it wants to be more. Grade B.
Clarkston
by Samuel D. Hunter. Trafalgar Theatre.
Two gay men bond while stocking shelves in a Costco Warehouse. Joe Locke is playing a physically and mentally fragile waif, similar to his role in Heartstopper. His co-star Ruaridh Mollica gets juicier material as his closeted co-worker. Mollica is struggling with poverty and a drug addled mother. Sophie Melville makes the most of the tropey mom role. A discussion of Lewis and Clark’s expedition contrasts with the men’s attempts to escape their unhappy town. The charismatic actors build a prickly, complex and loving friendship. Their story resonated with me and the emotional moments landed. British critics said the work was too small for a West End theatre. I didn’t mind the venue, but this play would kill in a Chicago storefront. Grade A.
The Code
by Michael McKeever. Southwark Playhouse.
William Haines was a Hollywood star in the 1920’s. He was dropped when he refused to leave his male partner. Now it’s 1950 and agent Henry Wilson is pressuring another actor to do the same. The men fight for the lad’s soul. Actress Tallulah Bankhead plays drunken referee. The characters do and say everything you’d expect them to. I kept waiting for the script to dig deeper than surface level arguments. If you’ve heard anything about old Hollywood, you know where this is going. Grade C.
The Mousetrap
by Agatha Christie. St. Martin’s Theatre.
The classic murder mystery holds up. Christie provides humor, suspense and social commentary. The queer coded characters are remarkably sympathetic and proactive for a work that premiered in 1952. I don’t hear nearly enough about them from queer media scholars. Perhaps because the audience is entreated to keep the plays’ many secrets. Grade B.
My Neighbor Totoro
Adapted by Tom Morton-Smith from the feature by Hayo Miyazaki. Music by Joe Hisaishi. Gillian Lynne Theatre.
Kid sisters are moved to the country when their mother is hospitalized. They befriend a gentle forest spirit. The animated classic translates well to the stage. The creatures are played by imaginative puppets. The children by young adults who manage to make their giggling, shouting characters feel honest. The stagecraft is impressive. But, after a busy week, the dream logic story, lullaby score and 2:40 run time made me drowsy. Grade B.
You can read more of my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.