REVIEW: NAIL POLISH at Lion and Unicorn Theatre, Kentish Town 31 October - 4 November

'And it's realistic. It's relatable. That's the true beauty of it.' ★★★★

A tube carriage. Our main characters shout out their frustrations. Homophobia. Sexism. Hate crimes. Dates, places, what happened and to whom... This in-your-face beginning is exactly what we need. NAIL POLISH is underway.

Fruity Theatre's offering is a true-to-life, modern take on queer life, relationships and experiences. It's New Year's Eve. We're in London. Becky and Sophie are throwing a party. Joe and Sam are going through a rough patch after a homophobic event on the tube, Austin is trying to come to terms with their recent break-up, and Mitchell is realising something about himself. We all know these stories. We've all seen them, read about them, or lived them. Aaron Dovey and Daisy Parker have managed to write a compelling piece about modern life, queer life and London life in 2023, and directors Kaylin Michael, Grace Enever and Tilly Penn elevated it with precision as well as a minimalist set that feels fresh and cool. The title refers to the fact that Sam is wearing nail polish, for which he got abused, and this is the catalyst for everything that happens in the play. Old-fashioned ideals are being challenged here. Toxic masculinity, check. The influence of one's parents, check. Society's expectations, check. It is perhaps not surprising given the context and premise of the play, but it is important to keep bringing awareness to it, nevertheless.

NAIL POLISH may be slightly cliche at times, with the dialogue needing a little bit more subtlety here and there, and the occasional predictability of the plot, but it certainly does its job, and it tugs at your heartstrings. The first meet-cute between Joe and Sam is adorable, then the heartbreak that comes with their recent attack is a lovely balance that is there throughout the play. It is heart-warming, heart-wrenching, cute, sad, hilarious and painful. And very few fringe plays that I've had the pleasure of seeing in recent times have managed to really get that balance as right as NAIL POLISH does.



And it's realistic. It's relatable. That's the true beauty of it. The realistic nature of it, is what sells it. Apart from the fact that they expect to get into London's top LGBTQ+ club Heaven after midnight on New Year's Day. Good luck with that.

Photography credit: Jaime Prada

Nail Polish

Lion and Unicorn, 31 October - 4 November

Bookings https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on

Carol Saint Martin is a screenwriter, playwright, pop culture blogger, magazine contributor and film host at the Cinema Museum. Her TV pilot DEADLINE, REDFERN CITY and her stage plays have reached the finals of several competitions.