Great singing and perfect dance routines
I expected this opera (of sorts) to be uplifting and colourful, though its opening scene was anything but. It starts with a funeral, all dry ice and monks in habits carrying a corpse onto the stage. As they carefully lay down their charge, they produce phones and proceed to photograph the body, which, energised by all the flashes, leaps up and bursts into song. Eeek! Yes, this is Grindr, part human, part Voldemort, part devil. He’s played by Christian Lunn, who has a magnificent voice. And he scared me witless, writes Lizzie Paul.
This is a tale of the internet, of fake digital people in a fake digital world where real-life men search the Grindr app for company and, mostly, wild sex with no commitment. By the way, I didn’t know much of the slang used in the play but did pick up NSA for no strings attached. It all proceeds on its merry, leather-clad way for a while with great singing and perfect dance routines.
But then it takes a turn into a dark place which illustrates just how dangerous (or joyous) meeting a stranger over an app can be. Two characters, Devon (Patrick Barrett) and Tom (Kane Verrall), begin a cautious encounter which blooms into true love, their need for Grindr being diminished. That upsets Grindr, who appears from the darkness to express his ire, singing to the top of his voice. My God, that creature is fearsome!
But then we meet young Jack (Will Joel), waiting in a hotel room for his date, Don (played alarmingly well by Dereck Walker), who turns out to be a much older and dangerous man. We learn that Don has a wife and son at home, but he can’t help himself when away on business and arranges a Grindr date with Jack. He becomes vicious, sadistic, and almost murderous towards Jack, eventually putting a leather belt around his young date’s neck as he desperately achieves orgasm by strangling the boy. In a hospital scene, we learn that it’s not just a fright he has given poor Jack.
With great performances, a mixture of musical genres, and the blend of dark thriller with comedy camp, Grindr: The Opera is an entertaining and excellent insight into contemporary dating.
Author of the play, Erik Ransom, states: “There are no heroes or villains in this story. Grindr is neither good nor bad.” You will have to go along to make your own mind up.
Union Theatre until 19th July.
Booking and full details: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/abovethestagtheatrelimited/1991912
