Review: Grindr Mom (Waterloo East Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Waterloo station is surrounded by some of the most acclaimed and exciting theatres on both sides - there’s National Theatre and Southbank Centre on one side, and the Old Vic and the Young Vic on the other. What some may not know is that another jewel sits just a few feet away from the station as well, the cosy Waterloo East Theatre. Somebody really should make an app that alerts you when you’re within touching distance of a theatre (Call it THEATR). I have loved visiting this theatre in the past, with my most recent visit a show I awarded five stars to, but it had been far too long since I had stepped foot inside. A trip to experience the new play Grindr Mom changed all of that in a show I hoped would be worth hooking up for, but would it prove to be the top of all shows, or the bottom?

Grindr Mom tells the story of a well-meaning Mormon mother who discovers her son is gay. As she contemplates what that means for her religious beliefs and her own political views, things get more complicated when he alerts her that he is in a relationship with someone he met on Grindr. Unsure what that is, she decides to check it out for herself, creating a Grindr account and discovering the world of wonders that lurks behind the app. Discovering a different kind of gaydar, she uses the app to go on a very different kind of mission than the ones Mormons usually go on, working out who in her religious community is a closeted homosexual, though the results turn out to be very surprising.

Written by Ronnie Larsen, Grindr Mom is a pacey, 70-minute monologue that welcomes you into this mom’s world and almost gives you whiplash from how much everything unravels in that time. It is a bit of a slow-burner, as we establish the character and see a harmless, tongue-in-cheek (not to be confused with the kind you’d find on Grindr) character whose biggest sin is her love of Pepsi, inspiring her own Grindr handle later on. As a deeply religious Republican Mormon, the fact that her son is a homosexual Democrat Atheist does lead to some initial cutting remarks that may not sit well with people, but it is a true reflection of what someone in that situation would feel. Though she may not agree with her son’s choices, “Grindr Mom” is eager to learn about his world with no homophobic undertone to be found in her unexpected awakening.

In that respect, Grindr Mom is an incredibly well-written piece of theatre. The gags keep on coming (again, not like the ones from a Grindr meet-up) with witty one-liners and a captivating story about one woman’s discovery of a world alien to her. It all kicks up a gear the moment the infamous app is installed on her phone, with an interaction that could only be called catfishing (or, lampfishing, more appropriately), leading to an inexplicably sweet story that demonstrates Grindr Mom at its best, though it is slightly undone by a disappointing U-turn. It isn’t perfect by a long shot, with certain aspects of the story in more need of development so it can feel fleshed out further. A twist at the show’s climax (again, not like… never mind) felt a bit too predictable, leading to an ending that was a tad too flat and not wholly satisfying.

Taking on the role of the Grindr Mom is Jessica Martin in a wonderful performance that endears her to the audience, while making them cringe at the same time. Martin is incredibly convincing in the role, leading to a captivating performance where I was hanging off of her every word. Her knack for comic timing meant every joke always landed, while the sweet and naive nature of the character paved way to reveal a more devilish side, with her ultimate scheme feeling oddly reminiscent of a plot from Desperate Housewives, a role that Martin plays up to and relishes the opportunity to do. While the writing is solid enough, it is Martin’s performance that lifts it, creating a believability in a multi-layered portrayal.

Gerald Armin directs the story beautifully, filling the intimate stage at Waterloo East Theatre with nothing more than a table and chair - Armin knows the true spectacle of this production is in the story itself, and fittingly brings his focus into how best to convey the message, allowing the performer’s monologue to shine through to reach the best impact. The intimacy of the space and the story go hand-in-hand perfectly, with Martin eyeballing members of the front row as she acknowledges she is telling the story to a room of strangers, and proceeds to check Grindr to see who might pop up. Perhaps one or two moments could use a bit of tightening up, such as the moment the character leaves the stage to retrieve her guilty pleasure, and a slightly awkward beat at the end of the play, but these can be forgiven like most sins… It’s certainly not as bad as consuming a can of Pepsi. God forbid!

You may think you know what you are getting into with a play titled Grindr Mom, and to an extent, it does exactly what it says on the can. However, there is more to be revealed when you explore beneath the surface with a humorous and heartwarming story of a mother attempting to understand her gay son and a world that was previously closed to her. It may not use every opportunity it has to tell a richer story, but it is more than entertaining and enjoyable enough in its present form. Grindr Mom deserves to be far more than a casual hook-up; it’s the kind of show worth coming back to again and again

Grindr Mom plays at Waterloo East Theatre until 1st March. Tickets from https://www.waterlooeast.co.uk/grindr-mom