★★★★

“a poignant and thought-provoking theatrical experience”

Cock by Mike Bartlett, presented by Talk is Free Theatre at COLAB Tower, invites audiences into an intimate, immersive space-in-the-round that immediately dissolves the barrier between performer and spectator. This staging choice is not merely aesthetic – it amplifies the emotional immediacy of the piece, drawing us directly into the volatile dynamics of a queer relationship between John (Aidan deSalaiz) and M (Michael Torontow). From the outset, there is an unmistakable tension between the two, underpinned by shifting power dynamics that feel as fragile as they are deeply rooted.

Bartlett’s script remains strikingly relevant, blending sharp comedy with moments of raw vulnerability. The dialogue is fast-paced and often circular, mirroring the emotional loops the characters find themselves trapped within. Questions of identity, sexuality, and emotional dependency are not presented with easy answers; instead, they unravel gradually, allowing the audience to sit with the discomfort and ambiguity.

Under the direction of Dylan Trowbridge, the production leans heavily into physicality and fluidity. The minimalist set is transformed seamlessly into multiple environments – a living room, a garden, a café – through subtle shifts in lighting and movement. These transitions feel organic rather than imposed, reinforcing the idea that the characters’ emotional landscapes are constantly in flux. One particularly striking moment uses shadow play to stage an intimate scene behind covers, creating a poetic visual metaphor for both concealment and exposure.

The narrative takes a pivotal turn with the introduction of W (Tess Benger), the woman with whom John unexpectedly falls in love. Her presence destabilizes the existing relationship and raises profound questions: What defines sexual identity? Can love exist outside rigid labels? And what does it mean to remain loyal – not just to a partner, but to oneself? Benger’s performance is luminous, balancing warmth, humour, and emotional intelligence. She brings a grounded humanity to the role, ensuring that W is never reduced to a mere catalyst for conflict but instead stands as a fully realized individual with her own desires and vulnerabilities.

We are also introduced to M’s father, played by Kevin Bundy, whose presence adds another layer of generational perspective. His scenes inject both humour and discomfort, subtly exposing societal expectations and ingrained notions of masculinity and partnership.

At its core, Cock is a meditation on love in all its complexity. It interrogates what it means to be “seen” by another person and the deep human longing for stability, recognition, and connection. Through its characters, the play explores contrasting desires: the wish for lifelong partnership versus the need for self-discovery; the comfort of certainty versus the allure of change.

The emotional push and pull that defines the play serves as a reminder that love is rarely simple. It can elevate us, making us feel invincible, yet it can also unravel us, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths about who we are and what we want. Ultimately, Cock resists offering neat conclusions. Instead, it leaves us with lingering questions: Is love defined by feeling, by choice, or by action? And can we ever truly reconcile the different versions of ourselves that emerge over time?

This production captures those tensions beautifully, offering a poignant and thought-provoking theatrical experience that lingers long after the final moment.

TWO HALVES OF GUINNESS

Park Theatre

★★★★

“a fascinating memoir”

The late Sir Alec Guinness once said of himself that “essentially, I’m a small-part actor who’s been lucky enough to play leading roles for most of my life”. This modest observation is typical of his unostentatious approach to his career and to his personality. In Mark Burgess’ one-man show, “Two Halves of Guinness”, Zeb Soanes impeccably reflects the essence of Alec Guinness in a role that sees him as the lead man, while undertaking a huge variety of small roles (over thirty, in fact) in the space of two hours.

Soanes doesn’t attempt any physical resemblance, but he manages to cut through the surface while capturing the tone and quality of the voice. Little else is needed. A few simple props maybe, such as when a tan leather brogue becomes a telephone handset, and a fair bit of inventive mime; and a battered travelling trunk. By curtain call, that trunk has been well used, having accompanied Soanes on the cradle to grave story – a journey that highlights not just the landmarks of a career with subtle self-deprecating humour, but pivotal personal moments that poignantly attempt to show what forces shaped his life. On the note of ‘forces’ – Soanes delivers a wonderful scenario in which Guinness corrects a ‘Star Wars’ fan (Obi-Wan Kenobi never said, ‘may the force be with you’ but ‘the force will be with you, always’. Apparently.)

It is a common side effect of the profession – that of being remembered chiefly for one particular iconic role that eclipses a varied career that precedes it. It was a chip on Guiness’ shoulder that he carried light-heartedly, but at one point Soanes asks the audience if they can mention other roles that he could be remembered for. There are no shortage of answers from the floor – an episode that highlights, perhaps, that the play isn’t revealing anything particularly new. But although we are whisked through the headlines, we are slowed down when the writing starts delving between the lines. We all know about the Ealing Comedies, ‘Great Expectations’, ‘The Ladykillers’, ‘Doctor Zhivago’, ‘Star Wars’… but did we know that Guiness based his unsteady walk in ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ on his eleven-year-old son who was suffering from polio at the time? Or how David lean, sometimes cruelly, brought out the best performances from his cast? We also catch behind the scenes moments that tease out hidden sides to other major players in Guinness’ life, such as John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Omar Sharif, Peter O’Toole (Soanes is also a great mimic).

Guinness was always seeking his own voice. Whether it was a direct consequence, Burgess makes much of the fact that Guinness never discovered the identity of his father, constantly seeking approval from a man he never knew. It is an engaging leitmotif throughout the show, but more resonant are the quiet moments when he recollects the time that his alcoholic mother abandoned him while going off on her many drinking sprees. Guinness was a complex and private soul, and together Burgess and Soanes bring out this side to his character with respect, pathos and, when needed, a little laughter. Director Selina Cadell casts a gentle hand over the narrative allowing the words to do the story telling. Burgess has clearly done his research, although those of us less familiar with Guinness’ life and works will reap more reward from the play – Burgess digs deep but doesn’t discover anything particularly new to the aficionados.

“Two Halves of Guinness” is a fascinating memoir, revealing layers of doubt beneath the assured persona. There is no doubting, however, Soanes’ assured and richly voiced portrayal of the double-Oscar-winning star of over seventy films. After a distinguished career as one of Britain’s greatest actors, Guinness feared that he would only be remembered as a Jedi knight. This play will go a long way to redressing the balance. You could argue that it doesn’t need to, but it is a truly entertaining way of finding out.

Category Archives: Reviews

COCK

★★★★

COLAB Tower

COCK

COLAB Tower

★★★★

“a poignant and thought-provoking theatrical experience”

COCK

COLAB Tower

Reviewed on 23rd April 2026

by Nasia Ntalla

Photography by Glimpses of Glitter

COCK

COCK

COCK

TWO HALVES OF GUINNESS

★★★★

Park Theatre

TWO HALVES OF GUINNESS

Park Theatre

★★★★

“a fascinating memoir”