Diary of a Gay Disaster, King’s Head Theatre Review

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Bronagh

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

Diary of a Gay Disaster is the latest show showing at the Kings Head Theatre as part of MT Pride Lab, promising an hour of navigating gay experiences, singing and lots of shots.

The scene is set as soon as the audience files in, not too unlike many flat shares that I am sure we have come across… the Oliver Bonas-eque print, a candle in the shape of a nude female body (you know the one) and a flatmate lying on the sofa watching television.. The scene doesn’t change throughout, except for the additional bar stool here and there. The familiarity is comforting, and totally like you are in the ‘safe space’ in your living room.

We are introduced to Mia, played by Talya Soames, who then lets in the newest flatmate from SpareRoom, Ellis played by Elly Fenton. Finlay, played by Olivia O’Connor, joins the pair and the story really begins. The cast is truly brilliant, the chemistry is there and they are very believable as flatmates and also friends. They bounce off each other so well, with Mia being kind of irritating to begin with, Ellis who is clearly the cool girl, and Finlay who keeps the peace when Mia tries to steal and read from Ellis’ teenage diary. The trio do a magnificent job of telling the sometimes confusing, sometimes hilarious tales of their queer experiences and navigating the ‘gay panic’.

Diary of a Gay Disaster promises us music, and we certainly get music! I can’t help but compare it to Six, which of course is a huge West End show in the format of a concert, connecting all the wives of Henry VIII. This felt very Six-esque, with the songs relating to their own experiences and whatever topic they are discussing at the time, throwing in some great dance moves along the way. The songs are all catchy, and the cast has lovely voices – a special shout-out to Talya Soames for hitting the big notes! There was the usual issue with the sound in the Kings Head Theatre not being the best, but not at all detrimental to the show.

The story isn’t groundbreaking, but nor does it claim to be. We are used to hearing sad and sometimes shocking stories relating to young people’s experiences with their sexuality, and rightly so. However, Diary of a Gay Disaster is a refreshing watch. Many complexities are explored, yet remain light-hearted and sensitive, at times seeing the humorous side. These include friendship groups being ‘incestuous’, coming out as gay and dealing with the consequences as a teenager, boyfriends’ reactions to finding out that their other half is bisexual and expecting a threesome to name a few. I feel like nearly everything that could be explored was, in such a short space of time and through song!

Overall I really enjoy Diary of a Gay Disaster and would love to see it sell out in theatres. If you love queer theatre and a good old song and dance, this one is for you!