Writer: Nathan Queeley Dennis
Director: Dermot Daly
Nathaniel is a serial dater in Birmingham, trying to find that special someone to be awesome with. But what if that pot of gold he chases will always turn up empty?
Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz is the debut play by writer and performer Nathan Queeley Dennis, the winner of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, and it is making its glorious premiere at the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. A one-man date night of smooth and sultry proportions, Dennis’ performance is one that will wine and dine you before sending you home with a full heart.
Nathaniel is conscientious and kind. He’s the type of guy who plans a date meticulously, choosing the perfect location and activities depending on the person. He cares about how he looks, how he dresses and the cut of his hair. After being stood up by his future Beyoncé, Nathaniel asks out Kelly from work who proves to be his match. But will this perfect match be enough to fill that gap inside him?
Dennis’ casual and conversational dialogue, which easily flows into his undertaking of other characters such as Kelly, his dad and his barber, is the hallmark of this production. Simple but effective similes are weaved to create an image of this wannabe artist stuck in a call centre job that feels just like hearing the life story of a dear friend. Focusing on his hometown of Birmingham, Dennis shines a light on the oft-forgotten Midlands as a site for freedom and young love.
Director Dermot Daly allows for Dennis’ performance to shine, constructing a visual landscape that can be easily traversed. Caitlin Mawhinney’s design complements the piece effectively by lavishing the theatre with a supple red carpet that creeps onto the wall. The sound design by Tom Foskett-Barnes conjures up the title’s promise of jamz, as the 90s RnB aesthetic permeates the soundscape of the piece. Elements of techno music intervene but don’t intrude, wafting about in plumes of haze.
Comedic moments abound, such as in the rendering of a very traumatic trip to a new barbers and in the patchwork conversations spliced out of Beyoncé tracks. Being a dramatic comedy, Dennis expertly carries the audience through a journey of rom-com highs and reality check lows.
The astounding thing about Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz is that the play feels as though it is going to be about cheesy love and hopeless romantics, but in fact subverts these tropes in the most nuanced of ways. Touching on the anxieties of feeling inadequate in your twenties, Nathan Queeley Dennis offers a painstakingly personal insight into one man’s hopes for love.
Runs until 20 December 2023
The Reviews Hub Score
omance from the view of a hopeless romantic.
