Beautiful, Complex Feelings: Outing Review

★★★★★

Written by L. T. Hewitt and brought to the Fringe by Unseen Theatre, Outing is a brand-new comedy about the complexities of male sexuality. Jamie and Adam are chatting after Adam breaks up with his girlfriend and finally accepts his sexuality, when Jamie reveals he thinks he might be gay (he’s 80% sure, to be precise). But when he locks eyes with Adam’s friend Ella at a party, there’s an instant spark and they start dating. Both are deeply in love with each other and on the surface, they seem like the perfect couple. But Adam can’t stop thinking about Jamie’s earlier declaration, and urges him to break up with her for the sake of them both. Outing follows the group over five years, exploring how a gay man can have real feelings of love towards a woman and how this impacts them both.

When I saw the rugby ball sitting on top of the cardboard moving boxes that make up the stage’s set, my heart sank. I was worried the show would be too similar to other stories like Heartstopper, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Adam’s boyfriend is a rugby player, but the show centres around Ella and Jamie’s relationship. There is a conversation between the three friends about rugby (but not really) where Jamie is trying to come to terms with his sexuality and subtly hint to Ella that he might be gay, but apart from that, it’s hardly mentioned and is simply a pastime that binds the group together.

What makes Outing stand out from other shows dealing with sexuality is the attention given to Ella’s feelings. Understandably, she goes through a rollercoaster of emotions, but the most prevalent one is her struggle to understand that Jamie is gay, but his love and attraction for her was genuine. It doesn’t seem to quite make sense for Jamie either, but the two are complete contradictions in her mind, and she feels like the past five years have all been a lie. Her embarrassment is palpable, and it’s truly heart-wrenching to watch her fret that she won’t find another man and get the happy ending she’s always dreamed of.

It’s hard to convey the complexities of sexuality within a 50-minute play, but Outing does a pretty good job of it. Ella doesn’t come across as homophobic, and Jamie isn’t malicious for dating Ella when he’s only 20% sure he’s straight. There’s no cheating or affair, but ultimately, there are no winners in this unfortunate situation. It’s a beautiful play full of nuance and intricacies that I’d urge everyone to go and see.

Outing will be performed at theSpace on the Mile until 23 August as part of Edinburgh Fringe.

Words by Ellen Leslie

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