Anna Burnside reviews with some ‘rough edges’.
Eddie Jen, a delicate piece of tofu in a black slip dress and a bath puff fascinator, is traumatised by Trump’s election victory. His first victory, in 2016 - this story has been a long time in the making.
So, this immigrant drag queen attorney from San Francisco starts an email correspondent with Mrs Reilly, his high school English teacher. Mrs Reilly is a Republican from Bountiful, Iowa.
The friendship does not proceed smoothly. They fall out, not over politics but over Jen’s description of a potential encounter in the urinal at a drag show.
Jen enlists the audience’s help to tell the story, blowing bubbles and reading out Mrs Reilly’s emails. One brave soul gets up on stage to act out the role of Mr Darcy, a lesson to the urinal suitor in how Jen deserves to be wooed.
The show, like dudes in the toilet at drag shows, has rough edges. Jen has to shield his eyes from the dazzling lights and fight to be heard over the performance next door. There’s a bit too much about the process and not enough about the meat of the correspondence. But Jen’s stated desire to be David Sedaris meets Carrie Bradshaw is up and running.
Seeking a Pen Pal for the End of the World performs at Just The Tonic at The Caves at 13:05 until August 24, 2025.
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