Small Town Boys is a Scottish dance performance by Shaper/Caper. Choreographed by Thomas Small and designed by Becky Minto, it explores young gay men’s experiences in the eighties to a soundtrack from the period.

Following the lives of the regulars at the Paradise Club as they negotiate the AIDS epidemic, it begins by inviting the audience on stage to dance. Then in a series of dramatised sequences, we experience homophobia, the shocking spread of the disease, the deaths that ensue, political resistance, Margaret Thatcher, and inflated condoms!

This high energy production scores well on enthusiasm. The dancers perform skillfully and the choreography is good, if a little predictable at times – but then it’s the eighties, so we know what to expect. What needs most work is its weak structure

confusing narrative, poor dialogue and lack of emotional arc. Fix that, edit out several scenes and leave the audience disco dancing until the end of the show and it might merit another star.

Small Town Boys is produced in partnership with Terrence Higgins Trust, Waverley Care and PASS at Edinburgh College. It is part of the Made in Scotland 2025 showcase.