The musical 'Hole', which revolves around a religious sect in Nebraska wearing butt plugs to avoid divine wrath, has converted a self-confessed musicals phobe. The show, running at Soho Theatre before heading to Edinburgh Fringe, follows teenagers Luke and Connor on a mission of redemption after the unplugged population is sucked into the sky.
A Premise That Hooks
The plot begins with a religious sect in Nebraska that wears butt plugs at all times because they have been warned: plug up or face the wrath of God. The strangest part? They are absolutely right. This alarming turn of events kicks off London's peculiar new musical, the aptly titled 'Hole'. When their leader receives a direct message from the Holy Spirit, few members of his flock believe him. More fool them. A small group follows his lead, anxiously awaiting the looming apocalypse foretold by their founding father. After seven years of discomfort, doubt begins to creep in until, one day, the entire unplugged population falls victim to The Great Sucking, hurled into the air bum-first, never to be seen again. When teenagers Luke and Connor, who have spent almost half their lives plugged up, are sent away on a mission of redemption, they soon discover they are not alone. The only people left on Earth are the well-prepared Nebraskans and anyone else who just happened to be wearing a butt plug at the time – a pack of 'perverted gays'.
Overcoming a Musical Phobia
The columnist, a gay man with a penchant for silly jokes and absurdity, admitted to being severely phobic of musicals, having never found one enjoyable enough to see again. However, 'Hole' has managed to conquer that mountain. The show is the first musical he is already planning to see again before it leaves London for the Edinburgh Fringe, where he believes it will become one of the festival's hottest tickets.
Surprisingly Moving Performances
Upon arriving at Soho Theatre, the columnist expected to spend the evening wincing through provocative anal jokes. Instead, he found himself surprisingly moved by the two quirky performers, Nadja Leonhard-Hooper and Jake Brasch. Despite their wacky and unserious approach, both are astonishingly talented, with rich harmonies while singing about anal sex in the sky and lead toilets with seatbelts. The show was so wildly impressive that the columnist went from resisting the urge to nod off at the late 9:30pm show to being instantly captivated.
Bargain-Bin Props and Genuine Warmth
With little more than their wonderfully childish imaginations, 99p red cups, plastic toys, and a handful of bargain-bin props, the duo transported the audience into their obscene little world of vulgarity with total filth and genuine warmth. By 11pm, the columnist was ready to sit through the whole thing again, devastated it was only 80 minutes with no interval. He remarked that whatever Jake and Nadja were on when they wrote this should be studied, bottled, and sold to anyone with an imagination.
A Buzz Like No Other
From start to finish, 'Hole' feels like taking the greatest hallucinogenic on earth, yet somehow, despite its out-there plotline, it is something the whole family could genuinely enjoy. The columnist noted that he can count on one hand the number of times he has felt a buzz quite like he did in that theatre, the last being Jinkx Monsoon's astonishing performance as Judy Garland at Soho Theatre earlier this summer. There was not a second when it felt like anyone in the room was not completely on board. The audience howled until it hurt, regularly turning to stare at strangers beside them in total elated amazement.
Beyond the Shock Value
What makes 'Hole' so special, according to the columnist, is that beneath all the gleeful filth sits a genuinely beautiful story about two boys discovering themselves and everything beyond the tiny lives they have always known. Tears of laughter became tears of something else entirely. The columnist expressed no doubt he will be seeing 'Hole' many more times, probably in venues far bigger than Soho Theatre, and hopes success never sands off its rough edges, as they are exactly what make it so magical.
'Hole' runs at Soho Theatre until August 1 before moving to Underbelly Cowbarn, Edinburgh Fringe, from August 5 to 30.
