BROS | King's Head Theatre

BROS, which is co-created, co-directed and performed by Iona Champain and Matilda McCarthy, becomes an entertaining and important conversation about toxic masculinity, male friendships, social media and grief. Champain and McCarthy have created a strong script that steadily lulls audiences into a false sense of security before the twist emerges as a punch to the gut. 

BROS follows Will (Champain) and Mouser (McCarthy) after a party thrown in honour of their late best friend, Tuna. Having reunited after several months for Tuna's funeral, Will and Mouser find themselves reflecting on their past as irresponsible and stupid teenagers, and contemplating on the choices they've made in present day. Mouser, who's in a stable relationship with Tabs and is considering buying a house, and Will, lost in grief and stuck in his old ways, find themselves with little in common despite the clear and lasting friendship between them. The conversation takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster as the two friends relay old memories of terrible teenage antics, to discussing their sex lives, the overwhelming sense of being lost in their mid-twenties, the rapidly changing world and more. 

Champain and McCarthy have managed to wrangle a loophole to allow for an authentic and sexist script; both writers and performers are female or female-presenting. The dialogue feels so natural and uncensored, giving audiences unfiltered front row seats to conversations between men. Toeing the line between satirical and political, the dialogue helps create more fully realised characters, quickly revealing redeeming factors and the many flaws. The script is abashedly explicit, using its crude humour to both amuse and disgust the audience, although preferring the former. 

The dialogue is fast paced and funny, with wit and social commentary helping fill the room with laughter. Whilst the phrase "boys will be boys" is used often, especially in conjunction with the excuse of being young, the extent of the damage caused by their sense of privilege runs deep into the script. Champain and McCarthy manage to create a tension between the words and actions of the two friends, shining a spotlight on how brutal and painful these childish tendencies can be when it seeps into their own lives or that of loved ones. 

The set resembles a typical 90s living room, with the clear signs of the aftermath of a house party, with cans littered about. The worn leather couch and the dusty rug feel both loved and nostalgic, filling the room with colour and personality, despite the mismatched styles. The chaos of the set, however, feels cohesive and creates a warm environment that reminds one of both the present and the past. 

Champain and McCarthy are both excellent performers, ramping up the over exaggerated movements that are used to caricature men. The pair work beautifully together, both on and off stage, with their strong friendship evident. McCarthy does an excellent job at tapping into an aggressive anger that rages out and Champain has an excellent talent for comedic timing, and a more emotional approach. 

BROS is a fun show that manages to capture both the spirit of conversation and the heart that things can get better, if one were to merely call on their loved ones. The show, a short 60 minutes, manages to cover a variety of important topics. 

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review