REVIEW: Exhibitionists at King’s Head Theatre 5 January - 10 February



‘the whole thing is generally very cool’ ★★★

To open the new, beautifully designed King's Head Theatre, we’re brought the premiere of Exhibitionists, a romantic comedy by Shaun McKenna & Andrew Van Sickle that explores love, sex, and gay relationships.

Kicking off at a gallery opening, we’re introduced to Mal (Jake Mitchell-Jones) and Conor (Ashley D Gayle), and Rayyan (Rolando Montecalvo) and Robbie (Robert Rees), two very different glamorous couples made up of two very different glamorous individuals, both of whom are wrong for their partners, but right for the other, in a fun setup reminiscent of the classic sex comedies of the 1950s.

When the passionate and ethically non-monogamous Conor and Robbie, both with their respective new partners, meet again at the gallery after several years apart, they’re unable to resist their connection and decide to run off together, leaving their partners, Mal and Rayyan, to chase them down across the country, falling in love while they do. It’s a good premise, and like that other Bronagh Lagan directed masterpiece, the brilliant Cruise by Jack Holden, the production values are excellent. The set is modern, stylish, and atmospheric. It makes slick use of light, sound, and projections; the performances are fair (though it's only really Mal that is gifted with some of the funnier moments, which Mitchell-Jones delivers gleefully), and the whole thing is generally very cool.

However, despite the impressive outer layer, it's tricky to get past the fact that I don't think it quite delivers on its fundamental comedic premise. It has all the energy and potential of a traditional farce, updated for a cutting-edge setting, but it doesn't quite make it over the line for me: ultimately, it's not quite funny enough.

We follow a set of mostly dislikeable characters (perhaps with the exception of Mal, whose neuroticism becomes increasingly endearing as the piece goes on), all of whom are pretty two-dimensional and rely too heavily on caricatures. Now, this would actually be fine and perfectly consistent with the screwball comedy concept, except that it just doesn’t go far enough with the comedy. I think it could have been pushed further in the writing and most of the performances. There are one or two laugh-out-loud lines, but only really one or two. And there are some unusual chronological choices: such as Mal and Rayyan ordering salmon in a motel at around 2:00am, getting into bed and going to sleep before it arrives, then waking up and visiting the sauna when it does, without eating it… The problem is that without some killer humour to disguise it, this exposes those moments as mechanics, plot devices in order for different characters to run into one another, which sort of ruins the illusion and believability. But, saying that, these situations, like the motel scene, are on the whole reasonably entertaining, with some good rom-com set-piece interactions.

However, I do love the central message, and I always applaud a diverse representation of gay men, such as this. Its exploration and analysis of the different ways of doing, and modes of being in, relationships is great, if a little on the nose. It examines these topics without judgment, and in that way will be a breath of fresh air for many people who will recognise themselves (corroborated by a couple of nods around the audience) in a queer story, when so many of them can be a bit same-y and exclusive.

To be honest, the sheer professionalism of Exhibitionists may ironically make you appraise it a little harder than you might lots of other fringe theatre, so even though it's not uproariously funny, it must be said that it is good – but only good. Nevertheless, I highly recommend you go along to support the venue and, as always, original productions like these.

Photos: Geraint Lewis

Exhibitionists by Shaun McKenna & Andrew Van Sickle

Directed by Bronagh Lagan

Produced by Elphin Productions & James Seabright

King’s Head Theatre, 5 January - 10 February

Box Office: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/exhibitionists

Reviewed by Alix Owen