No story is ever told the same way. The general gist might be there, but there’ll always be some anecdote or sentence missed out, or rose tinted way of telling it to make you sound a bit better. What would happen if two friends told the same story, at the same time, on the same stage? Take the Australian performer/writer duo, Chris Isaacs and Jeffrey Jay Fowler, ask them to do just that, and you have Fag/Stag.
Tamara is getting married and both Corgan and Jimmy are invited. Both men loved her, Jimmy for a week in high school, Corgan during their four-year relationship, and even more now. Fag/Stag journeys from the duo receiving their invites, to the day of the wedding and all in-between. There’s so much to say about this show that I don’t think I will do it justice. Both Issacs and Fowler are captivating throughout. In a performance which is mainly about male relationships, they only look at each other once but you can feel the chemistry between the two in abundance. Their quick witted, fast paced script grabs the audience from the beginning and doesn’t let go. It’s heart-breaking to watch as friends fall out over homophobia, self-harm, and not being there when your friend needs you the most.
This play is beautiful. It’s intelligent. It’s gut-wrenching. It’s funny. It’s everything you want from a show at the Fringe. I really hope it gets transferred and Isaacs and Fowler have to come back over to the UK, because it’s a show that I would see again and again.
Review by Georgia Rix
Rating: ★★★★★
