A Happy Ending that only provides a light touch, refusing to delve into any deep tissue drama.
Happy Ending arrives at the Waterloo East Theatre preceded by advertising featuring topless models and a suggestive title. That positions this show squatly within an ever present subgenre of queer theatre designed to appeal to a specific male demographic. While such marketing sometimes undersells a truly quality production and perhaps oversells a poor one, in the case of Happy Ending, the show itself sits precisely in the middle ground. It is a generally entertaining, if ultimately superficial, one-act play.
The play’s premise is ripe with potential for sharp social comedy and drama. A gay masseur finds himself giving a session to a straight, self-proclaimed Trump supporter. The script, which is generally well-written with believable dialogue, attempts to mine comedy and friction from the intimate interaction between these two men from diametrically opposed worlds. However, where the writing could have offered nuanced discussions on contemporary masculinity, internalised denial, or first experiences with same-sex attraction, the potential is largely discarded.
The central issue arises from a perplexing third-act twist. What had been building as an awkward, if charming, clash of ideologies and a potential rom-com trajectory suddenly takes a sharp turn, rendering the preceding events illogical and, in retrospect, rather creepy. This narrative decision prevents the audience from truly investing in the characters or their relationship.
This difficulty is compounded by the way the characters are written. The script seems determined to paint both men as manipulative and fundamentally unlikeable. Any brief moments of vulnerability that might have encouraged audience empathy are later revealed to be lies or ploys, leaving the viewer unable to connect with or root for either character, separately or together.
The performances themselves are competent, though some moments saw the required American accents waver slightly. The show lands its moments of comedy effectively, but it never commits to being an outright farce, settling instead for dramatic friction interspersed with light humour. Ultimately, Happy Ending is exactly what its poster suggests. An unchallenging, generally diverting piece of theatre about gay characters that intentionally avoids delving too deeply into complex topics. If you enter the theatre with appropriately measured expectations, you are likely to find an enjoyable enough evening, punctuated by a few smiles and laughs.
Happy Ending is playing at the Waterloo East Theatre until October 27th.