The Soft Subject
Assembly Hall
11 /8 /17
4 Stars
Book Tickets
And here’s the reason why the Edinburgh Fringe is so special. Among the noise and demand for attention, you chat to someone about their flyer, take a risk, and find a hidden gem such as this one by Hyphen Theatre.
Written and performed by Chris Woodley, this is his autobiographical story of love. A former drama teacher, Woodley structures the show as a lesson, drama considered to be a soft subject. Introduction, starter activity, main task, evaluation etc., with the main aim being to live happily ever after.
Woodley is a warm and engaging actor, and shares his experience of love openly, with symbolic props and subtext conveyed to us, the class. Never patronizing, the show is honest, funny and beautifully poignant.
The love of his life is Ryan, but the course of true love never does run true. But this is a gay love story that, in it’s simplicity, avoids cliche, mainly because his family are so supportive of him, you celebrate the benefits of equally. To understand why you will want an email from Chris’s Dad, you will need to see this tender, memorable, ‘ordinary’ story.
