The show isn’t just about the actors on the stage – it’s about all of us, and what we have in common, and what makes us different.
The show opens with Potter and Higgins lounging leisurely against a pole center stage in a sunglass’d tableau. Both are still, covered in flouncy, fluffy and dance-ready apparel. The first row of seats is a bunch of comfy pillows on the stage, letting the audience know early on that they are a part of this. Because the show isn’t just about the actors on the stage – it’s about all of us, and what we have in common, and what makes us different.
The backbone of the piece is a number of audio recordings of Potter and Higgins interviewing people about what “hot” means. The subjects come from a variety of backgrounds, from old to young and trans to cis. Because we only hear these people’s voices, we begin to understand their identities as their answers to questions get more complex and tangled in their own experiences. Their voices are played over the speaker system, as Potter and Higgins mime the various interview questions for us to watch. They quite literally give voice to marginalized peoples. And by using the exact recordings from each interview, there isn’t a fear of co-option or editing. In a touching scene near the end of the show, the performers spin in identical circles, naming each of the people that they interviewed, chanting like a prayer, and then the performers respond to some of the interviewees with their own personal stories.
Throughout the performance, the actors used dance to amplify the moods and tones of different recordings. It was at these moments that the play became a beautiful and earnest celebration of the performers themselves and the friendship between them. They licked each other’s sweat, danced in sync and masturbated over their own sweatpants, forgetting the audience for a moment. These fun moments were beautifully woven between the sometimes somber recordings, creating an overall tone of empowerment.
Without giving anything away, the show ends with a cathartic exercise that leaves the room both breathless and reflective, but also excited for what’s ahead, not just for themselves, but for Potter and Higgins as well.
