Let’s Try Gay by Underluminal

Let’s Try Gay! starts with a wonderfully absurd premise: two straight friends deciding to make a gay adult movie together. From the very beginning, you cannot help but wonder how these two friends possibly ended up in this situation, and the awkwardness and ridiculousness of it all quickly set the tone for a very funny first half.

What makes the comedy work particularly well is the natural dynamic between the two actors. Their conversations feel genuine, almost like listening to two good friends talking when nobody else is around. Their chemistry makes the relationship between the characters believable, while their reactions and timing keep the absurd situations entertaining.

The staging is simple but effective. With only a few props, including a mattress and a phone, the actors make good use of the space and create the feeling of a small, private room where the whole situation is unfolding. Nothing feels unnecessarily elaborate, and the simplicity actually helps keep the focus on the two characters and their relationship.

As the play progresses, however, the tone gradually shifts. What begins as a goofy and rather outrageous comedy slowly gives way to deeper and more serious conversations. Past experiences that have left their mark, personal insecurities, and one character’s relationship with his marriage bring another dimension to the story.

And this is perhaps what makes Let’s Try Gay! more than just a comedy built around a provocative premise. Beneath the absurd situation, it becomes a story about friendship, trust, vulnerability, and the things people sometimes struggle to say out loud.

You come for the ridiculousness of the situation, but you leave having seen something much more human underneath it.

The show has two more performances on 22 and 23 August, but the Tallinn Fringe Festival continues until 18 September.

Author: Hélène