Tender at Soho Theatre – review

Dave Harris’ bold new play Tender is a hilarious, sexy and sincere exploration of masculinity and the unspoken pressures that shape it. The new production reunites Harris with director Matthew Xia, as we follow a group of male strippers at a failing The Dancing Bears strip club.

As we arrive at the auditorium, the audience are handed paddles and fake cash, while stickers are placed over phone cameras. This creates an illusion of an exclusive, private club. The atmosphere – pulsing music, dim pink lighting – adds to the anticipation of the performance.

When the “Dancing Bears” themselves – Trae, Geoff, and Donnie (Kwami Odoom, Dex Lee and Darren Bennett) – eventually take to the stage, the audience erupts in excitement. The cast show off impressive physical performances, gliding and thrusting across the stage. There’s great athleticism too, from pole work to backflips. But behind this provocative spectacle lies a club in decline. The Dancing Bears club is at risk when a rival venue opens up with a similar (yet better!) act, threatening to steal their clientele.

The boss’s daughter, Bea (Jessie Mei Li), is brought in to reinvent the business and help them think of a unique act. This practical intervention soon develops into something more intimate. Bea challenges the men to consider a new show, but also to understand their own pleasure and what makes them feel vulnerable.

Harris uses this premise to explore masculinity, power, sex and gender roles in a way that feels confronting and thought-provoking. The characters are used to performing on stage, but also seem to keep the act up in their personal lives and relationships. When asked whether they themselves actually enjoy sex, there’s an uncomfortable realisation.

Do they suppress their own desires to fulfil the needs of others? Are they allowed to be soft, curious, or emotional without it jeopardising their perception of masculine identity?

Tender invites us to sit with these questions. The show also unpacks heteronormative ideas of pleasure, while acknowledging that there are limitless ways to experience it. Just like the title, Harris creates room for the characters to experience tenderness and break free from society’s expectations of masculinity.

There are fantastic performances from the cast, who play amusing, likeable and multi-layered characters, with a natural chemistry.

Lee’s Geoff is quick-witted and displays an animated bravado that provides plenty of laughter. He delivers a compelling performance; we see a character who may appear confident, but behind the tough exterior is a man hiding insecurities. Odoom’s Trae offers a contrast: sensitive, modest, and a bit of a people-pleaser to his own detriment, while Bennett’s Donnie – the meditative, former adult performer – adds a father-like presence within the trio.

Li plays Bea with a cool, unflinching presence. She encourages the men to open up and, in turn, shares her own experience, which surprises the group. We get a sense that the determination to support the club leans into her desire for validation from her mother.

Under Xia’s direction, the storytelling remains engaging throughout. Much of the action unfolds in what feels like a back office, while Ciarán Cunningham’s intense lighting shifts us to the club. The comedy shines, as the cast enhances Harris’ witty dialogue with hilarious physicality and expressive reactions, while still allowing space for the more dramatic and reflective moments to land.

At times, the show feels stretched, particularly during the final scenes – perhaps it might’ve been more effective in a tighter, one-act format. Still, Tender is a wildly entertaining play that balances comedy with emotional depth, while sharing a unique exploration of masculinity.