Gauguin's Ghost Story

On 'X': "Six years in the making, X is a powerful piece of promenade theatre that playwright Tony Stowers describes as his "labour of love"; it's a passion that's evident throughout the play. A modern-day tale of love, loss, sex and identity, the cast consist of just two actors: the equally impressive Terry Betts and David Hannah, who portray four well-crafted characters you genuinely care about. The opening scene - in which straight friends Dave and Mark discuss their dubious sex lives and opinions on homosexuality, while intermittently shouting lewd comments to passing women - could have been a cliché-ridden disaster. Instead, the dialogue is painfully accurate, as it remains throughout. Despite very little verbal interaction, the crucial scene, in which Dave allows himself to be seduced by the charismatic Stewart during a game of chess, is passionate and makes for slightly uncomfortable viewing, while the close of the play, which sees live-in lovers John and Stewart part ways, is genuinely moving. Staging X at The End (one of Newcastle's best-known gay bars) will undoubtedly bring theatre to audiences who may not otherwise access it. Unfortunately, however, it's also unlikely to attract the audience it so widely deserves.-Amy Rudd, The Tyne & Wear Metro Magazine, March 2006.