Jerker takes us to mid-1980s San Francisco, a fraught time for the city when it was being torn apart by the AIDS crisis, a time when there was little knowledge about, or treatment for, the disease. Robert Chelsey´s 1986 play was first performed 40 years ago, in San Francisco, and remains as powerful, fearful, sexy, and poignant as ever.

JR (Paul Dennison) and Bert (James Lee) connect via a gay telephone chat line. These were popular back then as men could connect incognito from the safety of their homes and have risk-free phone sex. What begins as a series of late-night erotic chats during which both men anonymously live out fantasies gradually turns into a deeper and more meaningful experience as the two men connect, reveal personal details and vulnerabilities to each other, and each develops a need for the other.

Director Henry Adams succeeds in taking us right back to the 1980s. However, far from being a period piece, Jerker remains highly relevant today, given our current disconnected online ways of communicating. It´s very sexy, very intimate and very thought-provoking. There’s also a special tenderness on stage. We see how love takes many forms and can be achieved even in a detached environment. Dennison and Lee are the perfect cast, capable actors across all emotions, both very handsome and athletic, with a great playful chemistry and authentic American accents. Dennison was actually Mr Gay Europe 2022. They both make the most of the strong script. They’re complemented by a beautiful set, intimate lighting, and Henry Adams´ and Scott Michaels ´ flawless 80s soundtrack – gem after gem carries us through the play. This feels like a true story – it probably is – and has been played out across the world many times. Excellent theatre.