REVIEW: I F*cked You In My Spaceship at Soho Theatre 19 June – 8 July 2023

‘A really well-directed ensemble of actors on top of their games, whatever game that might be. An ace. A knock-out’ ★★★★

Some plays are like tennis matches, lines shot back and forth, fizzing forehands, slyly spun returns. I F*cked You… is more like tag-team wrestling, different combinations of actors whizzing on and off the bare stage, grappling for a bit, then vanishing behind the curtains to wait for the next encounter. It is really good fun. It is very deftly done. It is tremendously pacy.

The subject of the play is the saga of two gay couples and their continuing relationships. The two women are embarking on parenthood with a sperm donor lined up. The two men are experimenting with cos play and fantasy to perk up their sex life and decide to bring in a third party to help. The dramatic twist is that both couples have invited a cuckoo into their happy domestic set-ups, and both couples are threatened as a consequence. The audience gets their fun from watching other peoples’ relationships fall apart, which feels a little bit perverse, but the zip of the performances and the wit of Louis Emitt-Stern’s script propel you effortlessly through such qualms.

The stage is bare, and the lighting is efficient but not flashy, leaving the focus entirely on the acting. All six members of the company (Fanta Barrie and Lucy Spreckley as the would-be parents and Jacob Bukasa as the sperm-donor; Jonas Moore and Max Hyner exploring their fantasies with the aid of a flamboyant sex-worker played by Felix Kai) are terrific, the entertainment is non-stop, and the pay-off is startling but somehow satisfactory. A really well-directed ensemble of actors on top of their games, whatever game that might be. An ace. A knock-out. A thoroughly enjoyable experience.

I F*cked You In My Spaceship By Louis Emmitt-Stern

Soho Theatre 19 June – 8 July 2023

Box Office https://sohotheatre.com/events/i-fcked-you-in-my-spaceship/

Creatives

Joseph Winer

Director

Abi Turner

Lighting Designer

Bella Kear

Sound Designer

Patrice Bowler

Movement Director

Katy McLeod

Producer

Nat Scase

Stage Manager

Reviewed by Chris Lilly