Bathhouse the Musical (Above the Stag)

Above the Stag prides itself on its LGBT focused programming, and Bathhouse the Musical fits the bill beautifully. From the toned, tanned torso on the promo materials to the rainbow towels lining the set, this gloriously camp musical uses every available trope to explore the first forays of the uninitiated into the steamy, seamy world of the gay sauna.

Young Billy (Ryan Lynch) is heading to the Bathhouse for a little experimentation, and is guided through the process by a very obliging ensemble cast and a BBC Schools-style instructional voiceover from the mellifluous Gyles Brandreth. Everyone has a little lesson to share, usually inciting Billy to take care with his choices ("is he really the kind of guy you want to spend the next ten minutes with?") or poking fun at the inherent humour of the situation: "maintenance to the jacuzzi… there is a very hairy man who has blocked up the filter".

Subtle it ain’t, but it is humorous, self-aware, energetic, and packed with more in-jokes than a teenager’s closet.

The musical numbers are undoubtedly the highlight, although the ensembles are stronger than the solos and the choreography is littered with missed steps and wry smiles. None of this particularly hampers the proceedings, however, since the sheer fact of there being six half-naked men (plus feathers and cowboy hats) giving it their all just inches from the front row is more than enough to keep things convivial.

The plot itself adds little and feels rather contrived, simultaneously revelling in a no-strings-attached culture and, through Billy’s first heartbreak, attempting to turn it into something deeper and worthy of exploration. Fortunately, the blink-and-you-miss-it second act clears things up very quickly and spends the majority of its time giving the audience what they really want: a rapid recap of the musical and choreographic highlights in true megamix style.

This is a small and intimate venue tucked beneath a railway arch, and designer Andrew Beckett‘s set turns it convincingly into a subterranean sauna complete with lion heads and gently wafting steam. The close proximity allows for a fair amount of audience involvement which has the potential to either thrill or unnerve, but it’s all in good humour (if not necessarily in good taste).

While Bathhouse the Musical lacks some polish, it strikes just the right balance between steam and froth, and, once word spreads through the target audience, is surely destined for a month of packed houses.