Greenside @ Infirmary Street
Aug 6-26 (16.15)

Script:  Stagecraft:  Performance:

Today’s Mumble Mission was a challenging & unexpected delight, a modern day tragedy that would give Theresa May and her coalition homophobes an education into the complex nature of love between men. Written by Charles Gershman and directed by Nathan Wright, this is a UK debut from a critically acclaimed, New York based theatre company called Snowy Owl. The Waiting Game has been brought to life through a very intimate performance by four talented actors, delivered with minimum props and setting, yet skilfuly drawing the audience into the personal world of the main protagonists. The ‘stage’ is set only with masking tape to outline the border, four chairs and a few items scattered around the edges to let us know we are in someone’s house. I loved the simplicity of that.

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The story is woven around the relationship between four men as this play expertly delves into the complexities of human relationships, intimacy, sex, drugs, betrayal and jealousy. The acting is superb, honest, raw and emotional. The characters are literally up close and personal with the audience. You really feel like a fly on the wall in their living room, watching these four man interact with each other, slowly revealing deeper and deeper layers of intimacy and insight into how human beings live, feel and love. In a recent interview with the Mumble, one of this startling cats, Marc Sinoway, described the essence at the heart of the play;

The Waiting Game is a psychological drama. It’s a love triangle if we only consider the players who aren’t in comas. The Waiting Game is a love square if we consider all the players who’s hearts still beat. It is a love pentagon if we consider technology as a 5th character.

This incredibly handsome cast of actors embodied precisely the intensity, sexual frustration and emotional process of waiting for Sam to recover from his comatose state; or indeed leave the mortal coil complete. This is a tale of limbo that holds Paolo, Tyler and Geoff in the confusion of uncertainty. Three grief-stricken young men in their sexual prime shaken by the fragility of life and the coping mechanisms that they adopt… from smoking crack to unsafe sex… all graphically displayed in this intimate theatre. The sensual love making scenes and the beauty of the kisses, the aroma of sex and wet gussets was a tell tale sign that love displayed as sensually and convincingly as this, removed the taboo of gay love and grief. A brilliant example of theatre that demonstrates love and passion in equal measure. 5 stars, Amazing stuff!

Reviewer : Mark ‘Divine’ Calvert