CRUISE: Emotional, But Life-Affirming Entertainment
August 25, 2022
The story follows Michael on what he understands to be his last night alive, on the 4 year anniversary of being told he’d have 4 years to live, following a diagnosis of HIV. Having lost his partner “Slutty Dave” a couple of years prior, Michael sees his hedonistic lifestyle as an escape from reality. In a last ditch attempt to revisit the glory of his less-troubled, indulgent early 20s in London’s Soho. Michael bar-hops from bar to club to cabaret joint, bumping into old flames and ghosts of friendships past, encountering reminders of heartbreak and joy, of love and loss.
Michael’s prognosis gives his farewell tour of 80s Soho a sense of heart-breaking urgency, where succumbing to the inevitability of his fate gives him a sense of freedom, of openness, of forgiveness and of power.
The play is expertly performed by Jack Holden (who also wrote the play, as if his impressive singing and acting talent wasn’t enough for you) who brings an enigmatic, almost chaotic energy to illustrate a deeply complicated subject matter. Jack effortlessly leads you back to the exciting, sexual, unruly scene of 80s central London, where self-discovery with like-minded folks preceded the utter devastation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
I struggled to believe that he could give his performance so much energy, for a non-stop 1hr 40 min show, night after night and still give such a gripping performance. I left the theatre with my friends, through groups of people “Wowing” and wiping their eyes.
This play is entertaining and thought-provoking, joyful but painful, emotional but life-affirming. Add Cruise to the must-see LGBTQ+ history syllabus for every person in the community, alongside It’s A Sin.
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