Welcome to 'prison with an Olympic swimming pool', a boarding school that's been going 'since the Dark Ages'. Our tour guide is the charismatic Johnny (writer Ned Blackburn), who we first meet excited in the changing room by 'the Lynx africa and bum sweat.' He is soon making out with his crush Harry, the stage roaring with Latin evensong. The raw and sharp writing brings a queer gaze to the archaic traditions and homophobia at these ancient schools: Johnny just doesn't fit, but tells the story hilariously — where Another Country meets Fleabag.

The play covers so much ground, held together by Ned Blackburn's charm (& writing) and the versatility of costar Harvey Weed who plays everyone else, from a ranting Welsh grandad to Johnny's love interest, the rugby team's Harry ('I'm not gay I just like to fuck guys'). In the course of the play, the writing follows the seams of these boys' pain through to its source, where homophobia rots into pure terror. It shines a fearless light on the evil bullying practices, which leave the boys simply unable to trust anyone. 

12:50 | 1-25 August, Friesian at Underbelly, Bristo Square

Photos by Lizzie Hawke and Matt Hind. Review by Will J. Wood.