The Hamilton Fringe Theatre Review: Meat Market Collective’s Meat Market
By Ross
We are told, quite frankly, to “strap in and strap on” as we all are “about to step into the absurd & raunchy world of gay hookup apps“. And with that warning or titillation, depending on how you look at it, Meat Market Collective‘s new juicy play, Meat Market, revs its sexual engines to high and mighty with aplomb, delivering exactly what you might expect. But, I’m thrilled to add, with a whole lot more woven into the fabric of that jock strap than we ever imagined walking into The Westdale at the Hamilton Fringe Festival.
The cast files in, giving off a welcomed diverse vibe that I was quietly and unsecretively hoping for. The set-up is clear, and the cast is excellently game in the sharply defined and wickedly wise Meat Market. Playwrights Alex Boese and Shaun Soutar, who also appear in the ensemble next to the wonderful Eric Amaral, the engaging Samuel Forsyth, and the hilarious Mackenzie Hall, dig dynamically into the exploratory framing aimed to excite from the wittiest angle of self-awareness and complete understanding of their material that you could imagine. The unpacking all starts from an obvious place, when a soon-to-be college student, “Fagabond“, played cleverly and clearly by set designer Rhys Bernier, is about to embark on the first semester of college, but “Fagabond” is uncomfortable. They want to understand sexuality and desire a whole lot more, so with a somewhat hesitant vibe, they decide to download a sex app, amusingly named Findr, to explore and try to understand themselves and their body’s desires a wee bit better.
We all know (I’m assuming) what app this smart piece of playwriting is looking to unwrap, unpack, explore, and display for both educational and entertainment purposes, and the writers nail it in both framings with a surprisingly honest stance that connects, both emotionally and hilariously. Against a backdrop of well-crafted video projections, thanks to designer Peri Agate, with a clear sound design by Cynthia Cepeda, a “barrage of horny weirdos, desperate sugar daddies, and cheating husbands” ping and pry on the app, looking for all sorts of things, not just limited to sex. It’s spot on in its skewering, with a few that stand out in the spotlight, thanks to some clever lighting by “Voice of God Daddy” Robert Leitner. Specifically, there’s the closeted jock from high school, “Stalker“, played solidly by Samuel Forsyth, who drives up with a complex underbelly desperate to not be left alone in his discomfort, all seen as a ‘red flag‘ trap, dutifully pointed out with love by “Mother“, deliciously well played by costume designer Matteo Da Costa.
As directed with a wise, wide framing by David Civcic (Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival’s Queen Out of Service), “Fagabond” attempts to transform, through a journey of self-discovery that truly delivers forth all the gay societal barriers to true engagement, without (too much) judgment or negativity. Meat Market clearly knows their audience, giving jabs and jokes that are infinitely more clever than I could ever have anticipated, at all and everyone, while giving “Fagabond” ample opportunity to do some solid unpacking and pondering. It’s smarter than the average bear or rubber rooster, and a great deal of fun, sending us out into the Hamilton night air thoroughly entertained, but also, surprisingly moved. Given time (and probably a bigger meat production budget), Meat Market could be something worth investigating and investing your time in. So, if given the chance, put down your phones, get off your couch (and your endless app involvements), and find yourself at the next rendition of Meat Market Collective‘s fantastically filling Meat Market. Your gay and horned-up self will not be disappointed (like you so often are on those apps).
