There’s a lot of hype surrounding Born With Teeth, Liz Duffy Adams’ new play, which opened this week at Wyndham’s Theatre – which is unsurprising, given the high-profile casting. This two-hander stars Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) and Edward Bluemel (Killing Eve) as rivalling playwrights Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare – referred to as Kit and Will respectively – who have decided to collaborate on the writing of history play Henry VI. We witness three sexually-charged writing sessions unfold in the back room of a pub, against a backdrop of mounting political tension in Elizabethan England.
Ncuti Gatwa lights up the stage: he has such a commanding presence that at times it feels a little like the Ncuti Gatwa show. Playing the flamboyant, flirtatious and feisty Kit, he prowls around the stage in an eye-catching leather two piece ensemble; whether he’s writhing around on the table, brandishing his oversized quill in an extravagant manner, or making an advance (sometimes sexual, sometimes violent) on his collaborator, we found it difficult to take our eyes off him.
For the most part Edward Bluemel puts up a good fight – sometimes literally – although the part he has been given is much more low key. The chemistry works well and it’s interesting to see the relationship between the pair develop over the course of the play, especially as we witness Kit’s shining star beginning to fade just as Will’s starts to grow brighter.
We did have a couple of minor issues. While Gatwa’s Kit is a lot of fun, after a while we did yearn for a little tonal variety: a huge number of his lines are sexual advances, or some other sort of innuendo, usually with a wry smile. It’s amusing for sure, but we’d have liked something more substantial. On that note, the play as a whole feels slightly thin – it clocks in at less than 90 minutes and the conclusion is somewhat abrupt. Don’t get us wrong, it still provides a hugely enjoyable evening, but we’d have preferred a little more substance here.
We enjoyed our time with Born With Teeth – the story it tells is compelling and it makes for an interesting watch. It may not be a comedy, but there are some terrific lines in here, and the game of cat-and-mouse these two play throughout helps keep things exciting. And, of course, it’s always enjoyable to see queer stories being told on the West End stage – more of this, please.
GAY TIMES gives Born With Teeth – 4/5
More information can be found here.
Latest
