Intense and emotionally charged, writer Madeline Whitby tackles themes of the queer experience and feeling broken with intelligence, seldom seen in amateur theatre. The two-man dialogue was hosted in the Theatre Deli and rightfully, the turnout exceeded the expectations of the upcoming Mudskipper Theatre Company.
Whilst the premise is nothing short of cliche to the unassuming eye, it becomes clear minutes into the show that Whitby’s fantastic observations of the queer experience have moulded themselves into a strong and alluring narrative. We are introduced to Cal and Annie, played respectively by Max Hanks and Caitlin Wood. Both seemingly ‘Ronseal’ characters – they appear to be exactly what they say on the tin. Cal is depicted extraordinarily by Hanks as the stereotypical ‘player Masc.’. Alongside them, Wood homes in on the tropes of the ‘Frantic Femme’ with ‘Mummy Issues’.
From the synopsis the audience already knows that they are each other’s ex’s. Coupled with the incredibly toxic chemistry, Whitby uses this relationship to further feed into the cliches of the queer experience. Understandably, if the show followed this trajectory it may have run the risk of appearing one-dimensional. However, this was not the case for the melodrama that unfolded over the course of the play. Moments in the dialogue felt wholly original: The quips the characters shared between each other were genuinely funny. Whether it was during the slanging matches about their breakup or the shared hatred for ‘Neil’ the never-seen but highly referenced ‘every-man’, the comedy was exceptional. The aforementioned ‘Spit’ take for which the play was named, was by far the show-stealer and highly unexpected.
The play also fed the audience plot twist after plot twist, yet the pair never made the audience feel like they were out of the loop. As the play progressed, so did the tension which felt well-paced. The chemistry was not forced and the movement between the two sets was commendable. Andrew Hurrell and Gabreil Mason received high praises from the audience regarding the management of the show, which ran smoothly.
The finale was delivered with depth and intensity, which had been built incredibly well throughout the performance. Both of the penultimate monologues were well-written and delivered impact the audience, answering the question always in the back of the audience’s mind: “Do they make each other worse?”
Ultimately, the toxic lovers’ trope is acknowledged with as much nuance as possible in an hour. Whilst the outcome is predictable, it’s ultimately a result the audience are rooting for since the beginning.
Rating: ★★★★☆
SPIT played for one night only at the Theatre Deli. For future productions from Mudskipper Theatre Company, see @mudskippertheatre on Instagram
