It’s strange to be back in a place like BATS during times like these, but I’m very pleased I went along to see PLAY, a gay dating dramedy here from Auckland.

It’s a play within a play, of a sort – the first twenty minutes or so being a form of a drawing-room comedy, then the show takes an abrupt dip into realism (of a sort), exploring the life of the writer writing said comedy.

The performances are excellent, and the show is very well directed. The actors capture the space, making their three-person show feel a lot larger than life, and it’s incredibly funny.

The first portion of the play is set in modern-day city life, but the performers speak as though they’re within an Austen novel, which leads to many excellent quips, and quite a lot of euphemisms for one’s… shall we say… johnson? I was crying with laughter, let me tell you.

The second part of the show is a lot closer to home, a world that one could easily walk past on any of Wellington’s streets. Rich (Alex Walker) is writing a play about a married man who cheats on his husband with a waiter. All things feel perhaps a smidge too close to home as he’s torn between Dan (Zak Enayat), an artist, and Nick (Liam Coleman) a realtor, both of whom he definitely cares for, but he can’t quite settle for either.

PLAY is an interesting fossicking around of polyamory, open relationships, love and commitment. Though the ending was perhaps a little telegraphed and didn’t quite feel satisfactory, I had a lovely time. Support shows like this, they’re worth it.

PLAY is on at BATS Theatre in Wellington until the 12th of September. There are limited seats available for two of the performances, so get in quick!