Review by Carla Rudgyard
You’ve got until the 26th of October to see everything sparkle in Emer Dineen’s 0800 CUPID at Soho Theatre. Directed by Phillip McMahon, the show describes itself as an ‘emergency response to the swelling social anxiety of a post-pandemic pre-apocalyptic world’, which is apt, but it’s also something funnier, glitzier, and sweatier than that.
I’ll set the scene. We are welcomed to PINKY’s: a drag club with a campy, old-timey Hollywood glamour feel. There’s a huge high-energy musical number where we meet our host; Cupid, the drag persona of our main character who is brilliantly portrayed by the writer herself. There’s fantastic rhinestone flares (Lambdog1066), white feather angel wings and pulsating fuschia lighting. Intoxicated in queer, amorous energy, we are asked to put our hands up in the air if we are ‘open to the giving and receiving of love tonight’- and then the phone rings, and all of a sudden our protagonist has been broken up with.
From here an honest, vulnerable, and self-aware journey takes place. Emer navigates their unique (trust me, expect the unexpected) and at times existential journey with their mental health amidst the loneliness and torment of a breakup. Each key moment is paired with an extraordinary musical number, ranging from techno to acoustic, where Emer’s deep, crisp voice is accompanied by a fantastic live band.
Emer’s writing is like a big hug from someone you’ve cried to in a club bathroom.
Their niche, humorous remarks (‘It’s giving Ryanair to Corfu white wine tantrum’) are hilarious and astoundingly relevant. The plot can be a little clunky and chaotic, but this means we see great range from our protagonist, who goes from psychedelic highs to struggling-to-even-walk-to-Tescos lows, and the other performers (Isabel Adomakoh Young, Carl Harrison) show great physicality multi-rolling from one distinct character to the next.
Nothing about this show is predictable, including the pace. It’s not neat, and I think that might be the beauty of it. We don’t see a quick montage that skips through the tough bits; we go through it with them, and it’s these moments that sit in the impersonal and lonely nature of life that might not be for everyone.
Who I do think this quirky show is for, is audiences looking for a narrative that is authentically queer, human, and life-affirming. It’s relatable to anyone suffering from heartbreak or even just the isolation of London life, and it might just help you learn that the best way to deal with your problems probably isn’t running away from them.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (Very good)
