Blowing Whistles *** TNT
Matthew Todd’s amusing but sad comedy is both a reminder of how much things have changed for gay men in the last few decades and also a warning that there are still people out there whose negative attitudes are way out of date. But there are problems, too, within the community and Jamie isn’t very enthusiastic when, on the evening before Gay Pride, his partner (37-year-old PR man Nigel) picks 17-year-old Mark (aka Cumboy17) from the Gaydar website as joint treat for their 10th anniversary celebration.
Matthew Todd’s amusing but sad comedy is both a reminder of how much things have changed for gay men in the last few decades and also a warning that there are still people out there whose negative attitudes are way out of date. But there are problems, too, within the community and Jamie isn’t very enthusiastic when, on the evening before Gay Pride, his partner (37-year-old PR man Nigel) picks 17-year-old Mark (aka Cumboy17) from the Gaydar website as joint treat for their 10th anniversary celebration.
As Mark attempts to turn the encounter into more than a one-night orgy, Jamie is pushed into realising the extent to which Nigel’s lifestyle excesses and casual encounters are hurting him, and Todd’s pretty explicit play delves into deeper than expected waters.
It doesn’t always flow, with issues being raised but never fully explored, but Stuart Laing’s Nigel preens convincingly in his fight to fend off impending middle age, and Paul Keating ensures that Jamie comes across as a three-dimensional character as he struggles against unanticipated temptation.
Leicester Square Theatre, Leicester Pl, WC2 (0844-847 2475). Until November 29. £25
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