“Mum, I am a big gay.”

Set in 2018, Lewis Treston’s IRL, presented by The Other Theatre in association with bAKEHOUSE Theatre, is a period piece that follows a young cosplayer as he attempts to find love (and a kiss with tongue) by meeting a boy from Tumblr IRL.

The director, Eugene Lynch, is a master of chaos, and having experienced his last KXT production, The Pigeons — a masterclass in organised madness — I wasn’t surprised to see him at the helm of the mayhem in IRL. 

Forget conventional theatre. Treston tests the limits of where he can take the audience and how far he can push ‘real life’. From the get-go, you have no choice but to brace yourself and hold on tight. We are thrust from Tumblr to a cosplay convention, to the Super Smash Bros boxing ring, to a tiny French woman’s dressing room, and under the sea near the Galápagos Islands. You’re in for a ride. 

Lochie Odgers’ set design is a purple velveteen fever dream, impressively encompassing every setting Treston transports us to. The show is camp from wig to toe, and Lily Mateljan’s costume design does not disappoint, with bold colours and an unapologetic commitment to the world of cosplay.

It’s famously difficult to make the online world work on stage without feeling dated, boring, or cringe — but it’s also something that’s integral to the teenage experience. IRL brings a fresh take to texting on stage, with Thaddeus and Alexei using phone-like light boxes at the beginning. But they don’t stay attached to these phones for long, swiftly leaving them behind in order to bring to life a dynamic portrayal of the virtual world.

Our protagonist, Alexei (Andrew Fraser), is deeply flawed and has a lot to learn when it comes to being a good friend and finding love. Fraser does a fabulous job of making us laugh, hate, and ultimately empathise with the young cosplayer. Leon Walshe plays the shy, closeted love interest, Thaddeus — a character the audience immediately rallies behind. It’s heartwarming to watch his timid performance transform as Thaddeus finds strength in his identity.

Both Bridget Haberecht and Dominic Lui are an absolute pleasure to watch as they juggle more characters than I could keep track of. A particular highlight is Haberecht’s hilariously French Anna Wintour-esque designer, as well as Lui’s role as ‘Mullet’ — a Kiwi fish and, in many ways, life coach. 

Whilst there is an anti-capitalist agenda peppered throughout the show — warning us against the media companies that monopolise pop culture (“the fascist entertainment panopticon”) — the real strength of IRL lies in its message about young love, self-acceptance, and friendship.

IRL is exactly what it says on the tin: a really good time. Open until May 10th — if you’re into cosplay, Super Smash Bros, or kissing with tongue, this one’s for you.

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IRL is showing at KXT on Broadway until 10 May 2025. Tickets can be purchased here.

Images by Justin Cueno