Intimate, personal and a accurate dive into our shared experiences as humans
This piece’s entire power sits in its title. It’s an intimate show about the human condition and the experience of many men, the collision of rage, power, emotional vulnerability, and the weight of what we think we’re supposed to be in our societal roles.
In this generation of theatre, we are constantly breaking the fourth wall and inviting audiences in. What Olly Hawes does with finesse and expertise is not just break that wall, but completely remove the idea of one. He demystifies the relationship between actor and audience, openly acknowledging the premise of “a show” and interacting with us in ways that feel both personal and incredibly engaging.
What really stands out is Olly’s gift for storytelling and communication. His stories live fully in his body, alive, physical, and honest. He doesn’t need much to transport an audience, and he does it beautifully. His writing is vivid yet explicit in what it tries to depict. As the story creates an interesting parallel to Olly as an actor, the audiences are constantly attempting to define what is real and what is fiction.
One of the show’s most compelling aspects is Oly’s willingness to interrogate his own positionality and privilege. He consistently acknowledges the external perception of himself as a white, middle-class man and confronts the complexities of privilege and self-victimisation. Each time a question arises, Why this story? Why him?, he addresses it head-on, folding that awareness into the fabric of the performance.
All together, the piece is raw and deeply human, a pertinent look at the messy nature of the psyche and the role men occupy. It’s a beautiful story laced with humour and moments that are genuinely visceral.
It isn’t a piece for everyone; it’s a confession-driven, sharply personal work. But I believe we create theatre as a way to tell stories that are personal to us, and O;ly is direct, deliberate, and unafraid in how he delivers his.