Theatre / Reviews
Review: Buff, Tobacco Factory Theatres – ‘A vibrant and moving one-man show’
Featuring Jamal Franklin, Buff is a witty yet moving one-man show that illustrates the hardships of the modern gay dating world.
Longlisted for the Bruntwood and Papatango prizes, and a finalist for the Perfect Pitch award for musical theatre book writing, Buff is writer Ben Fensome’s first show to go on a national tour.
The play joins an impressive array of shows by Emmerson & Ward Productions, who aim to give first-time touring opportunities to writers, particularly of thematically LGBTQ+ work.
is needed now More than ever
One-person shows can often raise scepticism. Instantly, one might think of the all-too-familiar am-dram student – convinced their solo offering, written, directed and acted by them is going to be their big break, only to fall flat. Buff is distinctly not that.
In fact, Buff is anything but two-dimensional. As the play begins, we come to understand that the main and only visible character, played by Jamal Franklin, is a vice for – sometimes humorously, sometimes seriously – depicting the hurdles and harsh realities of the gay online dating world, especially for plus-sized and ethnic minority individuals.
As his character develops, it becomes clear that he is by no means perfect himself, with his insecurities prompting unhealthy comparisons and resentments of people in his life.
Such trials to his life are exaggerated by the harsh nature of gay dating apps. He is accustomed to receiving messages on apps like Grindr and Scruff saying: “No fats, no blacks, sorry” or being blocked after travelling hour hours to meet someone.
As the narrative unfolds, our main character falls in love with his buff, model housemate, Jamie. Bitter from his own rejection on dating apps and upset about the comments on his plus-sized body, he is forced to confront his own prejudices and abusive behaviours. “We’re like the ugly stepsisters in here” he later says to Jamie’s new boyfriend, who he grows to resent for no seemingly rational reason.
But while it might sound very serious, Buff is also incredibly funny. There are quips about looking like Alison Hammond if she were a drag queen, and the play is packed with hilariously gay references. From the famous Wendy Williams quote: “how you doin” to the viral soundbite of Kat Slater from East Enders: “I didn’t become a bit of a slag, I became a total slag!”, Fensome accurately and humorously portrays the style of humour within many gay communities and friendships.
There are also far more niche references only a subset of LGBTQ+ fans might have understood, such as the main character’s blushing obsession with gay and muscular actor Russell Tovey, when he spots him in the gym.
Franklin’s performance is excellent from start to finish. His mannerisms, tone and delivery maintain a steady streak of knee slapping and exclamations from the audience. Being so funny throughout becomes a powerful tool itself when the play does turn serious for a moment; the tonal contrast – be it regarding the use of the word ‘gay’ as a pejorative slur, or the effects of dating apps on the psyche – is strikingly accentuated.
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With nothing but a singular chair on the stage throughout, all the attention really is on Franklin, who doesn’t once leave the stage. The chair later becomes a poignant tool when he finally throws it across the stage in rage as the story builds towards its conclusion. We are then met with the character’s biggest breakdown of the show, symbolic of his diminishing internal confidence and sense of support. And in the final scenes, as he makes peace with some of his issues, the chair’s return drives this symbolism home even further.
Veering between the funny and the stern, Buff is ultimately a comment on how the brutal realities of the gay dating world can make gay men feel undervalued and unloved, and to incite prejudices as a defence mechanism.
And while some of its messages could have been left not so explicitly stated or on-the-nose – the constant laughter, great acting and clever writing more than make up for it.
Follow @emmersonandward and @jamalafranklin for updates about their work.
All photos: Emmerson & Ward Productions
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