Body Talk ☆☆☆☆
Full Disclosure Theatre
The Vault Festival, London
Body Talk opens with three semi naked bodies standing on stage. Before the story starts their bodies are already telling tales on them. Those stories hang in the air around them like the worst kind of gossip even before we hear a word of David Hendon’s witty dialogue.
There is the 21 year old twink, Carl (Dominic Jones). All elbows, cheekbones and hip jutting like an exclamation point. Stood with wrists like a weeping willow, apologizing for the space he takes up.
There is the 30 year old Instahunk, Cameron (Taofique Folarin). Expectantly robed in muscle, phone ever ready to take a selfie, demanding every eye and camera in the room to turn towards him.
And there is the 40 year old bear Phil (Mark Philip Compton} unwilling to make any effort as he impatiently waits to be ignored, ready to dive back into his most comfortable t shirt as soon as he can.
The types are obvious but the actors breathe their own character into them. Jones is gawkily arch and funny with a vulnerability that begs a hug. Folarin is able to reveal the scaffolding behind the façade with the lift of an eyebrow. Compton manages to be knowingly foolish.
They all have their own story of how they got to be where and who they are. Whether it was bullies that made them want to evaporate into the air, or a body flaw that they sought to hide, or an inability to accept love when it was offered, what they share is that their current bodies were all born out of a painful past.
All three have an entertaining back story. Clever direction from Chris Davis and Sam Luffman means that every actor gets to step out of their own stereotype by performing a different supporting role as each tells their personal story. So gawky twink becomes hot dance floor stud when the hunk has his first night with a man. It’s just enough playfulness to overcome the artificiality of the three deliberately different guys coming together in one story.
Each of them is bullied in their own way, whether it is in person, online or through self image. They struggle with who they are because of who they think they are supposed to be. Growing up they had rules about being straight men that did not apply, now they are surrounded by rules about being a gay man that are also not working for them.
Despite the harsh topics of bulimia, alcoholism and online shaming there is plenty of laughter. After banging one guy against a wardrobe Phil points out that despite the guy claiming he was not gay he was literally clinging on to the closet “It’s so ironic I could be shagging Alanis Morissette”
As the characters work through their issues Body Talk becomes a lesson of self-acceptance and empathy towards others in an age where it’s becoming even easier to judge people through just their image. If that’s not ringing a bell for anyone we really do need to get Big Ben back in commission very soon.
Until Feb 2nd 2020
https://vaultfestival.com/whats-on/body-talk/
Review by Andrew HebdenQueerguru Correspondent ANDREW HEBDEN is a MEDIA & CULTURAL STUDIES graduate spending his career between London, Beijing and NYC as an expert in media and social trends. As part of the expanding minimalist FIRE movement he recently returned to the UK and lives in Soho. He devotes as much time as possible to the movies, theatre and the gym. His favorite thing is to try something (anything) new every day.
Labels: 2020, Andrew Hebden, London Theatre, review, The Vault Festival
