Fringe Review: Fuckboys: The Musical

Nicholas Surges

Part-musical, part-cautionary lecture, and part-sitcom, Generation Productions' Fuckboys: The Musical is a one-act musical that explores the dangers of modern dating (unsolicited dick pics, crude pick-up lines, and ghosting – all hallmarks of that eponymous horror, the fuckboy).

The show is remarkably self-aware for a musical comedy, with a title that belies its depth. At its core, Fuckboys is a story about resilience and the healing power of female friendship: four female friends in their mid-20s meet each week at a karaoke bar “that smells of broken dreams” to drink and commiserate in the difficulty of finding love in a post-Tinder world.

Characterization is one of the show's strong points. Each of the four leads is clearly defined, with unique mannerisms and physicality. Woman 1 (Beth Anne Stripling) is a friendly Everywoman in a seemingly-happy relationship with the bartender (Brandon Munoz-Dominguez); Woman 2 (director/playwright Savannah Cassidy Pederson) is a recently-dumped depressive struggling to move past her breakup; Woman 3 (Nicole Visco) is a tightly-strung workaholic with a penchant for pantsuits; and Woman 4 (Kendall Leamy) is a hilarious trust-fund baby into drugs, partying, and New Age spiritualism. The cast is rounded out by a long-suffering stage manager (Hayley VerValin), a male swing (Justin Cortes), and Man 1 (Joseph Adam Gonzalez), an adorably awkward newcomer from Cincinnati.

While some of the humour is slightly mean-spirited (such as a jab at men who vape: “Definitely fuckboys!”), it's all in good fun and is deconstructed as the show progresses. As we get to know the four female leads, it becomes clear that their jibes are coming from a place of hurt... or are attempts to engage their heartbroken friend and draw her out of her shell. A further subversion comes from the fact that all of the named male characters in the show are presented as empathetic friends and lovers. Even John (Justin Cortes), one of the least-developed characters in the show, has a moment of emotional vulnerability where he wonders whether or not he did something wrong on the date-turned-one-night-stand he had with one of the four leads. 

The cast had great energy and on-stage chemistry and a number of clever, off-the-cuff character riffs in response to technical hiccups or audience reactions (such as remarking, “This sounds familiar!” when a backing track was cued too soon and had to be replayed). In terms of specific cast shout-outs, this reviewer loved Nicole Visco's performance as Woman 3, which oscillates between hilarious physical comedy and earnest vulnerability.

Also impressive is Savannah Cassidy Pederson (incidentally also the playwright/director), who masks her hurt with sardonic humour and had easily the most relatable (and heartbreaking) ballad in the show: a song in which she reflects on the breakdown of her recent relationship and how she hopes her ex is happy. This is another crux of the show, which Woman 2 expounds upon in a later speech: yes, love can hurt, but we are the sum of our experiences, so it is best to enjoy that love for what it was - even when it falls apart - and then move forward all the stronger for it.

My one critique of the show is a technical one: that the mic levels could benefit from adjusting at points. The backing tracks sometimes washed-out the singers' voices (especially problematic in a new musical with unfamiliar lyrics).

Fuckboys is a delightfully funny and irreverent look at millennial dating culture, problematic male behaviour, and the power of friendship. It plays at the Streetcar Crowsnest Theatre's Guloien Mainstage.

Tickets and info for all Toronto Fringe shows can be found at fringetoronto.com