Boys On The Verge Of Tears, Soho Theatre Review
Reviewed by Eleanor for Theatre and Tonic.
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
Content Warning: Strong references to sexual assault and rape, racist language and depictions of violence, weapons and drug-use. There is also strong language throughout and two scenes with male nudity.
Boys on the Verge of Tears, directed by James MacDonald, is a riveting new play that provides a snapshot of the lived male experience. From naive youth to sentimental old age, Sam Grabiner’s book helps shine a light on how society's norms and the company we keep shapes us as people - all from within the setting of a men’s bathroom.
This setting of a bathroom, designed by Ashley Martin-Davis, (although outwardly a bit grim) is perfect for this play. It seamlessly allows the characters to pass in and out; some add a quick one line and others are given the space to stay for longer. This creates a breadth of suspenseful, violent and sometimes tender scenes. With the flicker of a light or a change in background noise (designed by Peter Mumford and Ian Dickinson respectively) we are transported from town halls to nightclubs. It was such a simple technique but exceptionally used.
Boys on the Verge of Tears opens with a familiar scene for some: a desperate father coaching his son on how to use the toilet on his own. This elicited some laughs and seemingly put the whole audience at ease. Further comedy and nostalgia is then generated as we observe a group of male teens at school. The actors here (a range of ages) show brilliant physicality and vocal shifts which make the characters utterly believable. It is these starting elements which create such a high level of suspense and drama when things take a turn.
As the play progressed, I was on the edge of my seat. I particularly enjoyed an almost silent scene in the latter half of the play because I kept wondering what would happen next. I felt equally tense as each new set of characters was introduced. Each would burst through the door and we, as an audience, would slowly find out more about them and could decide to empathise with them or not. But it was the characters that we didn’t find out everything about which I found the most engaging. For example, at one point a character is examined by a doctor and we never truly find out what their intentions were. Every single scene was as riveting, or even more so, than the last. The show then ends by creating a full circle. Without giving too much away, it left me reflecting on how quickly time can pass and how easy it is to waste.
The excellent source material is then elevated further by the strength of the performances. Each actor was given their moment to shine and perform some excellent monologues. These are made all the more intimate with the use of the bathroom stalls. I found the scene where two teenage boys discuss an amorous exchange, brilliantly acted by Matthew Beard and equally well reacted to by Maanuv Thiara, particularly memorable in that it was able to shift the dynamic of the piece in an instant. This was also the case with an equally tense scene between Maanuv Thiara and Calvin Demba, where two young children come into possession of a knife. David Cerlyle’s characterisation brought a lot of needed humour to the piece, with his portrayal of a drag queen and the father character being stand out moments for him. The play is then a beautifully rounded off by Tom Espiner, whose final character moved me deeply.
Overall, Boys on the Verge of Tears is an extremely poignant and captivating play from which I could not look away. From its seamless set design to stand out performances, in my opinion there was nothing which could be improved upon. With its blend of humour, drama and emotional depth, I would really recommend a viewing.
Boys on the Verge of Tears is playing at Soho Theatre from the 11th April 2024 – 18th May 2024.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
