WET FEET at the Union Theatre
★★★★
“The performance is measured and endearing, with great comedic beats”
Wet Feet tells the story of two gay men meeting in a sauna. Nathan (Matthew Edgar), mid-twenties sex worker chats to Franko (Michael Neri), a mid-thirties man with OCD. Over the course of their weekly visits, the pair bond and talk. The play is a series of conversations that touch on a number of topics from Cher to hate crimes, all relatable to an LGBTQ audience. The piece is witty and emotional as the characters explore this unusual relationship, with some steamy flirting throughout. The premise and structure is simple, but earnestly told. The heart of the story beating through Edgar and Neri’s tender performances.
The scenes are intercut with abstract transitions, still images of longing and contemplation separate the visits with cool lighting and accompanying music. The set is a stark clinical space, with a foam mattress on a bed with lino flooring and white walls (Reuben Speed). Some scenes end abruptly whilst others fade away with music as the scenes progress. Directed by Dominic Rouse, the action and movement of the scenes flow organically as the characters grow in familiarity and become more intimate.
Written by Neri, the dialogue is rich with references but also speaks to a generational attitude change between those who lived with section 28 and the AIDS crisis versus the newer generation who grew up with access to Grindr and pornography. The play also challenges assumptions, Nathan did not have it ‘easy’ and Franko struggles to admit he is gay. The piece feels authentic to queer people’s modern conversations whilst also being dramatic and funny. There’s a healthy number of dirty puns to pepper the touching conversations. Whilst some of the issues have been discussed in other plays, the show is a fresh look at these stories and issues that still effect gay people today.
Matthew Edgar’s performance as Nathan is confident and calm, seemingly secure in his sexuality and connected to his identity, with a bit of naivete. Michael Neri’s Franko is a ball of nerves held together by musical theatre and sanitiser wipes. From there we see the depth of these character’s grow; Franko’s ‘germaphobia’ being a clear comparison to the anxiety experienced during the AIDS crisis as well as his feelings of lack of control in his adolescence. Nathan’s more nonchalant attitude hiding deeper feelings of abandonment. The performance is measured and endearing, with great comedic beats. The merging of emotional and physical intimacy is portrayed with care and exactness, with no over exposure and remaining poignant (intimacy by Rose Ryan) if not also causing a few gasps of excitement from the audience (as they should).
For a piece that celebrates and contemplates queerness in 2024, Wet Feet is a charming original piece to see this Pride Month.
WET FEET at the Union Theatre
Reviewed on 20th June 2024
by Jessica Potts
Photography by Matthew Coulton
Previously reviewed at this venue:
THE ESSENCE OF AUDREY | ★★★★ | February 2024
GHOST ON A WIRE | ★★★ | September 2022
WET FEET
WET FEET
Click here to see our Recommended Shows page
