Sam Danson set up the status quo immediately with a satire on the American military man’s idea of perfect masculinity. With cod American accent and a lot of toy guns, he worked his way through a flip chart of all the key characteristics of manhood, beginning with “Don’t cook! Except on a barbecue…..” and ending with “Don’t Be Gay!” This page of the flipchart was left on stage for the remainder of the performance, and was the dominant throughline of the show.
Once the American persona was dropped, Danson brought us into the world of a gauche teenage British boy who had a girlfriend, but also accepted invitations from other boys. Running over the next few years, Danson’s character progressed to working in a 'McJob' in a gelato parlour, getting his own flat, and having blundering experiences around town as he tried to work out what made him tick. He even visited a therapist – twice.
Danson is a lively and personable actor, with a deft sense of comic timing. He really performs solo theatre well, bringing a variety of other characters in this small world to life, each with their own take on the main character’s situation. The script is quite clever in returning to the American soldier motif to show what the real problem is, then zinging off into another bout of youthful cack-handedness that is reminiscent of “Fresh Meat.”
But just to be a picky little reviewer, the overall effect was of a gay coming-of-age story – not a bisexual one. The pull towards men plainly was what was dominating Danson’s character’s thoughts, and quite understandably. Yet there was next to no acknowledgement of the pull towards women. In fact women hardly existed at all, except as a fleeting reference here and there. Which made the eventual ending rather flat, forced and unearned.
on - 17.5.23
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