Dream On (Manchester)

Venue: AXM Theatre
Where: Manchester

Dream On, written and Directed by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and produced by BadCheck Productions is a new gay drama/comedy that adds to an impressive collection of gay work that has being opening in the city over the past few years.  A sweet coming of age story with a likeable cast make this play enjoyable if not all together successful.
 
The story is simple, set in the 80s in Wales on a camp site, two 16 year olds from very different backgrounds meet and fall for each other only to promise to return the year after when the two would run off into the sunset together, of course things don’t always go according to plan.
 
The problem with the piece is it could do with taking a few more risks to lift the familiar story (think Beautiful Thing on a camp site) above a generic gay piece. When it decides to come away from playing it safe it’s engaging, exciting and often very beautiful. Written in an almost sitcom style with very short scenes the transitions could also do with tightening up but I’m sure that’s something they will rectify as the run goes on.

The cast throw themselves in to the piece – with the two leading boys Bradley Cross and [Joe Gosling giving great performances. Gosling (making his stage debut) steals the show with his cocky but sweet swagger as George, the bad boy who’s just trying not to turn into his father. Mairi Macfarlane deliveres her lines with great flair and brings much needed humour to the piece.

Morgan clearly has a talent for writing and has created a very entertaining play, and for his first theatrical piece he rises to the task at hand. I’m hoping to see him take a few more risks with his next piece, whatever that is though I’m sure it will be entertaining

– Craig Hepworth