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ACNE ROMEO

 
Alexander Williams Review by Alexander Williams 3 Published: 11 Jun 2025 The Hope Theatre Show Dates: 9 Jun 2025-11 Jun 2025

Acne Romeo opens in a noisy bar, where we are introduced to two characters: R (played by Callan Ridgwell) and J (played by Luc De Freitas). R is our titular Romeo, a trans man who appears uncomfortable in his body—nervous and shy as he surveys the room and spots the charismatic J. J is a femme man, a twink with a sharp edge—youthful, spiky, and confident in his demeanour. The immediate contrast between them sparks an attraction and a tension that is both thrilling and engrossing.

A brave exploration of a rarely seen relationship dynamic

Unfortunately, their unfolding relationship doesn’t quite live up to the promise of this initial tension. Holed up together for 48 hours after R calls in sick to work, their connection moves through moments of intimacy and closeness, rage and cruelty. There’s something undeniably sexy about the way the bodies are portrayed on stage—particularly the swaggering, sultry seductiveness of J, played with riveting charisma by De Freitas. However, the emotional bond between the characters feels confusing, and at times, bewildering. I was left uncertain about what kept these two together when they didn’t seem to particularly enjoy each other’s company. The undulating waves of attraction, anxiety, longing, and need became difficult to track.

The sound design was loud, aggressive, and deliberately distorted. While this served as a useful metaphor for the characters’ confusion, angst, and perhaps even anguish, it often felt alienating and frequently overwhelmed the dialogue.

Nods to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet through the final costume choices added a delightful touch of humour. It was heartening to see male femininity and transmasculinity represented on stage with such sensitivity by the two young actors. Overall, Acne Romeo is a brave exploration of a rarely seen relationship dynamic.

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Performances

The Blurb:

“How easy these boundaries of you and me are to cross. How close my body is to yours.”

When a vigil throws R and J together the day before Valentine’s, they try to construct a home for themselves. Over three unlikely days, they prod, and spill, and break, and lie; doing and undoing sex, talking themselves into oblivion. But violent delights have violent ends, and homes are always full of teeth. In a darkly intimate world of stasis and revolt, how much care do you need to put into loving someone? And how much carelessness does it take to be free?

ACNE ROMEO is the bold and intrguing new play from Sam Smith, award-winning writer-director of Scenes with boys.

Praise for previous work:(for Scenes with boys)“An extraordinary commentary on art, love and life.”  ★★★★  Adventures in Theatreland★★★★  A Young(ish) Perspective★★★★  LondonTheatre1(for This Swollen Thing) “There’s something exciting about the linguistic talent of Sam Smith’s This Swollen Thing, almost Churchillian in its daring.”  There Ought To Be Clowns

Running time: Approximately 70 minutes

This production is part of BokFest 2025