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Review: Gay love triangles and tangles in This Much, Soho Theatre upstairs

320x320.fitandcropSeemed appropriate to be watching a play about gay relationships in Soho while the Pride celebrations were cranking up in the streets outside.

In John Fitzpatrick's play Gar (Lewis Hart) is in a steady relationship with Anthony (Simon Carroll-Jones), who is house proud and hints that he wants marriage and kids. However, Gar has also just met Albert (Will Alexander) through a dating app and he's young, exciting, steals biscuits to impress and gets his cock out in public.

Gar wants his (wedding) cake and to eat is as well or rather he doesn't know whether he is the 'cake' or 'eat it' type. He wants to wear a wedding dress and dance with his friends but he wants what comes with marriage and a longer term relationship.

Anthony offers Gar love, stability and domesticity whereas Albert offers excitement, passion and no strings. But it is more complex than that, it is a play about how relationships define you. Both Gar and Anthony's attitude towards marriage and relationships is shaped by their parents, whether that means they want something very different or hanker after something similar. Certainly, at times, it feels as if Gar's behaviour is a way of sticking two fingers up at his parents and in particular his dad who hasn't spoken to him since he came out.

It is a voyage of self discovery for Gar and one in which he is in danger of losing everything. It is a play in which his agonising turns very close to emotional agony and anguish, something that is reflected in some beautiful movement pieces. The cast also manipulate and move pieces of set and props as a physical representation of Gar's relationships and emotional state.

This Much (or an Act of Violence Against Marriage), to give the play its full title, is a cleverly performed piece that scratches beneath the surface of love and relationships. You can catch it for another week upstairs at the Soho Theatre (closes July 2) and it is 70 minutes without an interval. I'm giving it four stars.

Related reading:

Will Alexander interview on joining the existing cast members and 10 days of rehearsal

 

 

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