Review by Raphael Kohn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sometimes, audience members are to be forgiven for being confused about the content of a show they’re seeing, with shows being very unlike expectations. This is not one of those times. Joe DiPietro’s F**king Men really does do what it says on the tin – this is an unashamedly erotic play, exploring the sexual liaisons between a circle of gay men in New York City, who form a chain of hookups, each with their own unique moments and experiences. And frankly, it’s f**king great.
It's not an entirely original play, with the basis of this being Arthur Schnitzler’s 1897 play La Ronde. But this is not La Ronde. First premiered in 2008 at the Finborough Theatre, Joe DiPietro’s updating of La Ronde takes the action to New York, in which ten different gay men experience connection, attraction and pleasure through a cyclic series of hookups. The sensibilities of the end of the 19th century are out, and in with Grindr, PrEP and OnlyFans.
It's not an original production either, with this same production returning for a six-week stint at the Waterloo East Theatre after a previous run at the same venue last year. And it’s not hard to see why it’s returning. This bare-all production gets everything right, from its delicate handling of the material (which in other hands could collapse into stereotyped, one-dimensional portrayals of gay sex).
Throughout the play, we explore the sexual dynamics between pairs of gay men, in the moments just before or after sex (and frequently, during too). The four actors cycle through all of the roles, developing interesting parallels between the characters in their role-doubling, with hints that different characters are more alike than they seem. Each character has two scenes sequentially, completing the circle as the character from the first scene returns in the last. It’s a brilliant structure that allows us to follow each character’s arc, even if they only have two scenes to develop it in.
And so we go from scene to scene, watching the circle form, starting with a sex worker and a soldier, with a brilliant blend of humour and drama. The soldier goes to a sauna and meets a teacher, who then goes on to meet a student… and so on and so forth. Not once are difficult topics shied away from, or potentially problematic dynamics not faced with sincerity and caution.
Partly, this is thanks to the updated script by DiPietro and Kunis, who worked together to update DiPietro’s 2008 script to the present day. We get an all-too-important reminder that undetectable people with HIV cannot pass it on, a message still not heard enough today. In bringing in the intricacies of today’s app-focussed hookup culture, we truly get to the essence of today’s world, rather than 2008’s.
But it’s not only a serious play. There are laughs aplenty, from the darkest moments to the lightest. Even when discussing biphobia, love, connection and commitment, there’s always humour finding its way out. The cast nail this dynamic brilliantly, a four-piece ensemble each packing a brilliant performance. Joe Bishop delivers a stand-out performance as a playwright whose vulnerability begins to creep through as his narrative spans more than just his scenes, while Jason Eddy impresses in his roles, with the theme of untruths percolating through first as a closeted soldier, then as a man with HIV (undetectable, thanks to the medical breakthroughs of the last thirty years) who doesn’t inform his partners, and finally as a closeted actor. David Michaels impresses greatly in his variety of roles, while Rory Connolly’s exuberantly versatile performance amazes with his array of accents and personalities.
And to make this work, director Steven Kunis buoys the production with freshness and vibrancy. While F**king Men does feature frequent nudity, which thanks to the careful work of intimacy director Lee Crowley it is never gratuitous, always serving the narrative and never objectifying its actors. Cara Evans’ neon-tinted set, lit gorgeously by Alex Lewer in the tiny space of the Waterloo East Theatre is simple, but makes brilliant use of changing opaque-transparent windows to separate settings and hide actors. All the while, Julian Starr’s pounding, pumping soundtrack throbs between scenes, never letting the energy slip for a second.
In a world of ‘bury your gays’ clichés, of queer people being hurt, damaged and killed for the pleasure of the viewing audience, sometimes it’s brilliant to see a show that celebrates queerness in all its glory. Completely and enthusiastically sex-positive, F**king Men is a fantastic night out that never shies away from important topics, but truly feels authentic.
F**king Men plays at the Waterloo East Theatre until 26th May 2024. Tickets from https://www.waterlooeast.co.uk/f-men2024
Photos by Michaela Walshe