This fresh and fruity comedy from the pen of Ronnie Larsen is a bite-sized summer treat.
A straight man visits a masseur to relieve the tension in his shoulders. The masseur happens to be gay. Both men are cautious as they sound each other out, ask personal questions, and embark upon a voyage of discovery that will change both their lives…
Alexander Hulme is superb as Mr Miller, revealing hidden depths to the all-American Trump-voting heterosexual hunk, and absolutely shines as his character adapts to the twists and turns of a very surprising tale. Owen Landon is completely adorable as Andy – the slightly neurotic massage therapist who is constantly concerned with keeping things professional and not crossing the line of temptation. These are a pair of performances that compliment each other beautifully, and the comic timing of both actors is impeccable.
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The narrative does have a serious issue at its core – the sometimes unhealthy relationships between gay men and straight men – but is too busy being hilarious to dwell upon it for long, and when it does, it’s from unexpected angles. This is a theme of the piece – unexpected angles. Prepare to have the rug well and truly pulled from beneath you. Energetic direction by Andrew Beckett ensures that the laughs come thick and fast. (But do the boys…?!)
Despite being performed in the smaller studio space at the new multi-stage venue, this delicious delight has been put together with all the attention to detail that we’ve come to expect from Above the Stag. Set, also by Andrew Beckett, is impressively camp, and is given a complimentary helping hand by stylish lighting and sound from Andy Hill.
Running at only an hour with no interval, Happy Ending is a delightful diversion to a world of oil and secrets. An unexpected pleasure!
Gay Times gives Happy Ending: ★★★★☆
More information can be found here.
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