one4review | On 10, Aug 2025

Small Town Boys, produced by Shaper/Caper, is a vibrant, high-energy production that transforms the atmosphere of a 1980s queer nightclub into a powerful exploration of queer history, resilience, and the unbreakable strength of community.

In an electrifying blend of dance, music, and storytelling, the show immerses the audience in the vibrant yet precarious world of the queer community during the 1980s and ’90s. From the moment the cast bursts onto the stage—inviting the audience to join them on the transformed, pulsating nightclub floor—the energy is irresistible.

In the back corner, a stack of TV screens flickers to life, displaying visuals that guide the narrative: press footage, slogans such as “joy”, “lust”, “lives” “fear”, and chilling historical moments. A clip of Margaret Thatcher’s infamous Section 28 speech is followed by a barrage of hateful press headlines from the height of the AIDS crisis, grounding the show in its historical reality.

Through expressive movement, the exceptional cast of eight dancers weaves a heartfelt tapestry of queer life in this era. One standout moment is a moving solo set to Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy—a journey of self-discovery portrayed through tender, awkward first kisses, the pain of childhood bullying, and the spark of joy in finding a kindred spirit.

The soundtrack, drawn from the iconic hits of the ’80s and ’90s, perfectly complements the exquisite choreography. Annie Lennox’s Here Comes the Rain Again becomes the backdrop for a poignant sequence in which the cast dances with air-filled condoms—holding them close like lovers, letting them drift away, and catching them again—before sinking slowly to the floor until only two dancers remain.

One of the most emotional sequences unfolds in a hospital scene: a man is rushed in, his friends barred from his side. In his dream, they burst in to stage a dazzling,

Vogue Ballroom-inspired celebration at his bedside—only for it to morph into a nightmare as a performer embodies the virus itself, attacking and overtaking him with chilling intensity.

The finale is a rallying cry of perseverance and defiance. The ensemble reunites for one last, triumphant dance, leaving the stage—and the audience—buzzing with emotion.

This is far more than a theatrical performance. Small Town Boys is an immersive, visceral journey through a defining era, a tribute to joy, love, and the resilience of the queer community.

Unmissable.

*****

Reviewed by Lynn

Main House at Zoo Southside.

19.15 (1hr 30mins)

Until 17 Aug (not 11)