Stage: Don't fence me in

Palatable Gay Robot
by Stephen Brower
director Zachary Prince
with Stephen Brower, Julia Murney
Udderbelly Boulevard, London • 7.Apr.26 ★★★★

Funny and sharp, with a big emotional kick, this one-man show explores themes of identity and community through an absurd premise, expertly written and performed by Stephen Brower. This is a fast-paced 75 minutes, overflowing with verbal gags, physical schtick, musical skill and pointed observations about how difficult it is to fit into society's strict boxes. And while it keeps us laughing, the show also leaves us with a lot to think about.

It's set up as a demonstration of HumaVibe's latest device, introduced by a voiceover moderator (Murney) as our new gay best friend Billie Bowtie (Brower), a robot with "a little extra sugar in the tank". The moderator continually reminds Billie that he needs to be "palatable" to avoid offending anyone, but Billie is unable to stop making rude jokes and references. The more background reference material he downloads, the ruder and more deeply insightful his humour gets. But even when the moderator applies additional constraints, Billie continues to break through them.

Billie's primary directive is to provide endless entertainment for straight people, and his quick wit is loaded with riotous innuendo, puns and references. He also performs elaborate song and dance routines and does amusingly awkward crowd work before he is urged to share his story. At this point, Brower weaves his own life into the narrative, using playful humour and an underlying authenticity as he recounts his Oklahoma childhood, family pressures, dance camp joy and a bittersweet experience with first love. The moderator continually resets him, but Billie simply can't stay in the lines.

Brower's performance is bright and smiley, augmenting everything with elaborate physicality. So Billie's robotic glitches carry an underlying meaning. Hugely likeable, he mixes sassiness with darker edges, impressively deploying surreal comedy alongside moving emotions. His blinding verbal riffs are often astonishing, from a hilarious brunch-buddy rant to a climactic sequence synchronised with clips from a broad range of bracingly current cultural iconography. 

At its core this show is an attempt to define what it means to be gay. The word may mean happy, but it also carries fear, self-hatred, love and longing. So the sharply cutting gags touch on religion and politics sit with complex comments about themes from self-discovery to false security. Queer stereotypes are lampooned along the way, always subverted with smart punchlines. And it gets more personal as the show continues: Billie's most insistent urges are to become an actor, to be loved and not to die alone. What's most impressive is how Brower so seamlessly blends intelligence with stupidity, profanity with open-hearted emotion, and most importantly performative robotics with raw humanity.

For information: STEPHEN BROWER >

photos by Danny Bristoll, Spencer Clark • 7.Apr.26

Critical Week: Outside the margins

A highlight this week was a special screening of John Huston's 1961 classic The Misfits, starring Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift, Clark Gable, Eli Wallach and Thelma Ritter. Following a group of people who simply don't fit in, this is a staggeringly powerful film with strong present-day resonance. The final completed film for both Monroe and Gable, it was screened at the programme launch for Marilyn Monroe: Self-Made Star, a season at BFI Southbank marking the iconic star's centenary in June-July.

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Otherwise, there was Hokum, an enjoyably bonkers horror comedy starring Adam Scott as an American at a nutty hotel in Ireland. By contrast, the horror thriller Undertone is inventive, most notably with its layered sound mix, but neither fun nor scary. Laszlo Nemes' Orphan is a complex, textured exploration of post-WWII Hungary with a riveting central performance from teen Bojtorjan Barabas. I also saw quite a few more films over the final weekend of the 40th BFI Flare, and I attended The Offies, a gala night of awards and live performances celebrating Off-West End theatre.

Coming up over Easter weekend and the following week, I'll be watching Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in The Drama, Gaten Matarazzo in Pizza Movie, the Japanese anime romcom ChaO, a special screening of the short film Geronto and a live performance of Palatable Gay Robot at Udderbelly Boulevard.

BFI Flare: Spread the love

And that's a wrap on the 40th BFI Flare, closing the programme with the South African comedy Black Burns Fast and the usual epic party last night. Then today was the best-of day in the cinemas. I saw 25 features and 13 shorts (including the Five Films for Freedom) over the past 12 days - my favourites are below, after are my last three film highlights...

Black Burns Fast
dir-scr Sandulela Asanda; with Esihle Ndleleni, Muadi Ilung 26/SA ***
With a sassy sense of humour, colourful sets and costumes, and videogame-style graphic flourishes, this teen comedy from South Africa lands somewhere in the region of shows like Heartstopper, Sex Education and Never Have I Ever. It's enjoyable simply for what it is, and the writing is cute and often very funny. But it's never particularly pointed about the serious themes that are raised. So it ultimately feels somewhat simplistic.

Satisfaction
dir-scr Alex Burunova; with Emma Laird, Fionn Whitehead 25/UK ***.
Artful and moody, but set in sundrenched Greece, this romantic drama feels weighty from the start. Writer-director Alex Burunova flickers in time to intersperse the back-story with the main narrative, and each strand has its own visceral approach, cleverly contrasting the settings using emotions, colours and textures. This approach also drops in darkly disturbing revelations that give the film provocative edge. 

What Will I Become?
dir Lexie Bean, Logan Rozos; with Lexie Bean, Logan Rozos 26/US ****
Even with a very dark central topic, this documentary, is made with a sense of hopefulness. This is a clear-eyed, deliberately emotive look at why so many trans youth commit suicide, and directors Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos know this situation far too well. The fact is that more than half of trans teens try to take their own lives, largely because they can never be themselves. It's not an easy film to watch, but it's powerful, important and urgent.

RICH'S BEST OF FEST

1. Drunken Noodles (Lucio Castro, US)
2. Maspalomas (Aitor Arregi/Jose Mari Goenaga, Spain)
3. On the Sea (Helen Walsh, UK)
4. Perro Perro (Marco Berger, Argentina)
5. Cherri (Fabian Suarez, Cuba)
6. Keep Coming Back (Sergio De Leon, Uruguay)
7. Strange River (Jaume Claret Muxart, Spain)
8. The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel (Ramiel Petros/Nicholas Freeman, UK)
9. Lunar Sway (Nick Butler, Canada)
10. To Dance Is to Resist (Julian Lautenbacher, Ukraine)

Honourable mention: Can't Go Over It, I Am Going to Miss You, The Broken R, Big Girls Don't Cry, Hunky Jesus, 10s Across the Borders, Out Laws, What Will I Become? 

FAVOURITE SHORTS

1. Yellow Bucket (Simon Brooke, UK)
2. Magid/Zafar (Luis Hindman, UK)
3. Theo (Monica Palazzo/Jo Galvv, Brazil)
4. Kiloran Bay (Michael Bruce, UK)
5. I Hate Helen (Kate Lambert, UK)

Full reviews will be linked to the SHADOWS @ BFI FLARE page.

BFI Flare: Sing it out

We're in the final weekend of the 40th BFI Flare festival, with what will hopefully be an epic party tonight. There have been a lot of very good films here this year, and I still have a few to watch before my final post tomorrow night. Tomorrow is best-of-fest day, so screenings will feature sold-out films, top-rated ones and noted movies from the past year, as well as highlights from the festival's four decades, well worth catching again on a big screen surrounded by an appreciative queer audience. Meanwhile, here are five more festival highlights...

I Am Going to Miss You
[Eu Vou Ter Saudades de Você]
dir Daniel Ribeiro; with Alice Marcone, Gabriel Lodi 26/Br ****
Inventive Brazilian filmmaker Daniel Ribeiro creates an audacious twist on the soapy romantic drama by casting every role in the film with a trans actor, whether or not they're playing trans characters. So the film is making an important political statement simply by its very existence. It's also an involving story of a couple that realises that perhaps they have grown in different directions, even though they still love each other deeply.

Can't Go Over It
dir-scr Ethan Fuirst; with Susannah Perkins Taylor Trensch 26/US ****
Astutely exploring an offbeat friendship, this comedy drama follows two queer 30-somethings who worry that their friendship might have run its course. Much of the film consists of them walking through a forest chatting about random topics. But writer-director Ethan Fuirst brings out subtle shifts in their dynamic in very clever ways, gently touching on the way people grow and change at different rates, and what it takes to stick together. 

Drunken Noodles
dir-scr Lucio Castro; with Laith Khalifeh, Joel Isaac 25/US ****
As in his astute 2019 drama End of the Century, Argentine writer-director Lucio Castro opens this story with a young man arriving in a city and getting friendly with the local boys. Like that film, this is a complex exploration of how we connect with other people on a range of different levels, altering our life trajectory in the process. The story unfolds in chapters that are presented out of order, inventively creating a knowing wave of powerful emotion.

Cherri
dir-scr Fabian Suarez; with Juan Miguel Mas, Noslen Sanchez 25/Cub ****
There's an unusual optimism running through this Cuba drama, which centres around an overweight dancer who has absolutely no regrets. Cherri is a terrific, fully formed character who wins us over with his hopefulness and compassion, even if it sometimes feels misplaced. Actor Juan Miguel Mas and filmmaker Fabian Suarez have created something that's surprisingly thoughtful and tender, shattering stereotypes in the process. 

The Broken R [Rotacismo]
dir Ricardo Ruales Eguiguren; with Ricardo Ruales Eguiguren, Julio Ricardo Ruales 25/Ec ****
An autobiographical collage, this documentary is remarkably introspective as young Ecuadorian filmmaker Ricardo Ruales Eguiguren recounts the details of his unusual life. He's exploring a condition he inherited from his father and his struggle to accept his sexuality. What he comes up with is a hushed film that beautifully reflects his thoughtful personality. And it is packed with knowing observations that are easy to identify with.

Full reviews will be linked to the SHADOWS @ BFI FLARE page.

BFI Flare: Live it up

This is a busy week at the 40th BFI Flare with a flurry of premieres, including the world premiere of the flambuoyant British biopic Madfabulous, with much of the cast and crew in attendance. I've enjoyed watching shorts and features every day, and now we're heading into the final weekend (epic party incoming!). Here are five more highlights from the festival, and Critical Week is down below...

Madfabulous
dir Celyn Jones; with Callum Scott Howells, Ruby Stokes 26/UK ***.
An outrageous figure from the British aristocracy gets the lively biopic treatment here. Wrestling his unruly story into a movie structure weakens the momentum in the second half, but this is a superb depiction of how difficult it is to be yourself within the constrains of polite society. Director Celyn Jones creates several superb sequences, augmented by particularly magnificent costumes. And the performances have a lovely depth.

Big Girls Don't Cry
dir-scr Paloma Schneideman; with Ani Palmer, Noah Taylor 26/NZ ****
From New Zealand, this introspective drama follows a teen girl on a journey of discovery that's involving, moving and sometimes disturbing. Writer-director Paloma Schneideman evokes her perspective beautifully, complete with contradictions and misconceptions. So the film continually finds inventive ways to challenge the audience to understand the messiness of navigating a desire that doesn't fit with everything you've been taught. 

On the Sea
dir-scr Helen Walsh; with Barry Ward, Lorne MacFadyen 25/UK ****
Earthy and realistic, this understated drama set in North Wales quietly explores masculinity with characters ranging from 15 to 70. It's an observational film that gets under the skin with layers of interaction that's dryly humorous, and a central storyline about a man taking an unexpected journey into his own sexuality. Writer-director Helen Walsh has a terrific eye for complex family dynamics and deeper personal feelings.

To Dance Is to Resist
dir Julian Lautenbacher; with Jay LeReve, Vol'demar Kabus 26/Ukr ****
Spanning four years in Kyiv from Russia's February 2022 invasion right up to the present, this documentary centres on two young men who demonstrate their resilience through performance art. The film vibrates with a rave-style vibe, blending rehearsals and shows with fly-on-the wall scenes of everyday life, all under the constant threat of bombs. It's an engaging, evocative expression of personal freedom and, yes, resistance.

Mickey & Richard
dir Ryan A White, AP Pickle; with Richard Bernstein 26/US ***.
Shot in black and white with full-colour clips, this documentary tells the story of Richard Bernstein, better known as the beefy 1980s pornstar Mickey Squires. Narrated by Richard, this is a frank and openhanded walk through the life of a man who simply took advantage of everything that came along and enjoyed every moment of the ride. And filmmakers Ryan A White and AP Pickle allow his warm sense of humour to shine.

Full reviews will be linked to the SHADOWS @ BFI FLARE page.

~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~
C R I T I C A L  W E E K

Party alert! There were three festive screenings this week that inspired special posts on my Instagram: Halle Bailey and Rege-Jean Page star in the corny but entertaining romcom You, Me & Tuscany; Zazie Beetz leads the charge in the nutty horror comedy They Will Kill You; and Riz Ahmed premiered his hilariously sharp new TV series Bait. I also caught up with Judy Davis, Miriam Margolyes and Jacki Weaver as sassy nuns in the charming New Zealand road movie Holy Days, plus lots of movies at BFI Flare. There was also a live performance of Where There Is No Time at Seven Dials Theatre

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching Adam Scott in Hokum, horror thriller Undertone, Laszlo Nemes' new film Orphan, and a special screening of the Marilyn Monroe/Clark Gable classic The Misfits, plus many more films at BFI Flare.

BFI Flare: Cuddle up

I'm enjoying the eclectic films presented at the 40th BFI Flare, which has taken over the Southbank for 12 days this month. We're at the midpoint of the festival, so I'm fairly exhausted by my schedule, as I have to keep watching the regular releases of the week as well as lots of festival films, then find time to write about them. Here are four more superb movies that I hope will get proper releases at some point in the near future. The first is already on Apple TV in North America...

Perro Perro
dir-scr Marco Berger; with German Flood, Juan Ramos 25/Arg ****
Shot in glistening black and white by cinematographer Martin Farina, this surreal drama is so playful that it immediately makes us smile. Argentine master provocateur Marco Berger continues to explore masculinity and connection by blurring lines of sexuality, in this case teasingly lusty inversion of reality. Even if the metaphor is strained, the timeless filmmaking style gives a kick to deeper ideas. It's also sweet and very sexy.

Strange River [Estrany Riu]
dir-scr Jaume Claret Muxart; with Jan Monter, Nausicaa Bonnin 25/Sp ****
Following a Catalan family on a biking holiday along the Danube in Germany and Austria, this understated film zeroes in on a teen as he discovers inexplicable sense of his own desire. But this isn't a coming-of-age story, or a coming-out film. Instead, writer-director Jaume Claret Muxart is inventively digging under the surface to find truths that span generations. So it becomes a fascinating portrait of a family at a pivotal moment in time.

The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel
dir Ramiel Petros, Nicholas Freeman; with Tony Powell, Mick McGuire 25/UK ****
This is one of those engaging, riveting documentaries in which you join the filmmakers on an unpredictable ride, as new details surprise them and us in real time. Ostensibly this is a film about the closing down of a landmark motel in West Hollywood, but directors Ramiel Petros and Nicholas Freeman discover a protagonist in its final manager Tony Powell, an English football star who vanished without a trace more than 40 years ago.

Out Laws
dir Lexi Powner, James Lewis; with Friedel Dausab, Rosanna Flamer-Caldera UK/26 ****
Tracing the experiences of three human rights activists, this engaging documentary explores how British colonialism left a legacy of harsh anti-gay laws around the world. Thankfully, the central figures add a buoyant hopefulness as they encourage each other to keep up the good work. And with a wide range of experts, filmmakers Lexi Powner and James Lewis trace the topic's history and present-day realities with honesty and clarity.

Full reviews will be linked to the SHADOWS @ BFI FLARE page.

BFI Flare: Put your hands in the air

The 40th BFI Flare continues with a party atmosphere on the Southbank this weekend, welcoming filmmakers, actors and fans in a way that's become forgotten at most film festivals. And the range of films has been thoroughly enjoyable, a varied mix that includes quite a few inventive, incisive documentaries. Here are notes on a few more movies...

Low Rider
dir Campbell X; with Emma McDonald, Thishiwe Ziqubu 25/SA ***.
British filmmaker Campbell X takes the audience from London to Cape Town and beyond on a wild odyssey of self-discovery for a pampered city girl who doesn't think before she jumps. The assured writing and direction mixes engaging, sparky characters with picturesque locations and unexpected narrative twists and turns. The story gets rather melodramatic from time to time, but the film remains engaging and thoughtful.

Lunar Sway
dir-scr Nick Butler; with Noah Parker, Liza Weil 26/Can ****
Set in a present-day Canadian Wild West, this thoughtful film explores an unexpected relationship between people who are still working out who they are on their own, let alone together. Writer-director Nick Butler takes an offbeat approach to storytelling, drawing us in with a sense of mystery and random details before flipping the film into various genres. It's also nicely shot to capture the locations as well as the inner lives of these people.

Keep Coming Back [Siempre Vuelven]
dir-scr Sergio De Leon; with Bruce Pintos, Juan Wauters 25/Uru ****
Revealing the mix of memories, desires, fantasies and dreams swirling around inside a young man's mind, this Uruguayan drama finds unusual resonance in its surreal flourishes. It's also a rare movie about homing pigeons, using them as a symbol for grief and inheritance, as well as unwanted truths about sexuality that won't go away no matter how hard you try. And writer-director Sergio De Leon assembles this with a singular light touch.

Jaripeo
dir Efrain Mojica, Rebecca Zweig; with Efrain Mojica, Noe Margarito Zaragoza Aguiniga 26/Mex ***.
Diving into Mexico's cowboy culture, with its heavy-drinking machismo and raucous jaripeos (aka rodeos), this skilfully shot documentary has deeper intentions relating to sexuality and culture. Cameraman-cowboy Efrain Mojica, working with writer and filmmaker Rebecca Zweig, is exploring how it feels to be a young queer ranchero. The film's slightly aloof, introspective approach finds poetry in gorgeous imagery and evocative ideas.

Full reviews will be linked to the SHADOWS @ BFI FLARE page.