1988. SOHO. His last night on earth.
When he’s diagnosed with HIV in 1984, Michael is told he’ll have four years to live – at most. So, with the clock ticking, he and his partner Dave decide to sell their house, flog the car, and spend everything they have to party like it’s the last days of Rome. When Dave dies two years later, Michael doubles down on his hedonistic ways, spending what little he has on drink and drugs.
On the last night of his four year countdown – the 29th February, 1988 – Michael decides to go out with a bang. He puts on his favourite jacket, heads for Soho, and embarks on a long night of farewells. He says his goodbyes, dances, sings, and says yes to everything and everyone. Then, with all his affairs taken care of, Michael promptly… survives.
Michael got lucky. He’s been given the gift of life; but what kind of life can he now live?
Fast-paced from start to finish I won’t waste any time in stating that Cruise at The Duchess Theatre is a lightning bolt of a performance that is sure to send audiences rocketing back to the theatre when it reopens in May. This engaging monologue truly highlights the generation gap between LGBTQ+ people living today and those who grew up during the Aids crisis in the 1980s, and it is handled with realism, energy, joy and sadness.
The play with tension throughout this performance propels the audience onwards and the pacing never lets up. The show smoothly transitions from arena to arena in the site-specific performance which is transformed from a bare, simple space through phenomenal sound and lighting design. It is this amazing link between music and character that really gives the show its soul. Jack Holden’s amazing physicality and energetic performance adds to this stunning transformation.
At its heart, this is straight forward storytelling at its best. It beautifully paints a picture of a time and place while pairing it with an engaging character performance. Cruise is being streamed online until the 25th of April, it is then being performed live at the Duchess Theatre between the 18th of May to the 13th of June. Tickets are £12 from the Cruise the play website.
Storehouse the immersive show at Depford Storehouse
Standing at the Sky’s Edge at the Gillian Lynne Theatre
52 Monologues for Young Transsexuals at the Soho Theatre
Alice’s Adventures Underground at The Vaults
Leave a Reply