The modern gay man. Who is he? In his Melbourne Fringe Festival show, Twink Ascending, writer and performer Andy Johnston goes on a mission to uncover what it means to be a gay man today. Through a variety of theatrical styles, Johnston shines a light on issues such as body image, relationships, sex, and of course, dick pics.
The set and costume design by Dann Barber add a camp sci-fi dance floor aesthetic to the performance, which fits in nicely with the opening moments of the show. Curled up on the floor in the foetal position, Johnston is eventually born into a queer world and bombarded with catchphrases and comments you would come across on online dating apps.
Twink Ascending provides us with an insight into the many aspects of Johnston's life that form his identity, both in and out of the gay community. He goes to gym and works out, he is a performer, he is a singer and he is a drag artist. His act with an imaginary drag queen shows off his muscular physicality and agile movement and is also a nice play on the contrasting ideas between masculinity and femininity within the community.
Bears, otters, pups, cubs, wolves, daddies, jocks, twunks and twinks. These are just a few terms to describe the type of gay men in the world. It's enough to cause a lot of confusion and uncertainty as to where exactly you fit in. Presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Andy Johnston is taking a look at what it means to be a gay man in the modern world with his solo show Twink Ascending. Told through cabaret, drag, physical theatre, spoken word, dance and song, this experimental piece is unapologetic in its exploration of what it’s like to be a queer man in this day and age, which is something that even Johnston himself continues to question.
"I
don’t think I know the answer to this and that’s why I made
this show, to find out who he is. But I do think every modern gay man
shares the desire to be seen and heard and therefore respected and
accepted. Standing in the way of that desire is a real pressure to blend
in to the traditional ideals of a heteronormative, masculine lifestyle," he says. "I feel that every day coming from the media, the government,
social media and even guys I date! I’ve chosen not to give in to that, and
I’m seeing others making that decision more and more. It is an exciting
wave of queer pride and courage to witness. So I guess
I have a theory that the modern gay man is someone who is dipping
his/her/their toe into the fluidity of change and I’m excited to see
what happens when we all jump in."
