←Recommendations of Hyenas

HYENAS impressively captures multiple sides of an intergenerational relationship through familiar but complex characters and a clear, grounded plot. The wonder of the play lies in King's patient development of Tony and Joey's motivations and baggage into an earnest portrayal of the challenges and joys of gay relationships in their early stages. King resists any sort of didactic "here's the lesson" -but my takeaway hovers around honesty --that the struggle to be honest with a partner and especially with oneself is common to all generations, and acknowledging that, perhaps we can hold more empathy for each other.

Kevin King writes a thorough examination of a complex and multi-faceted relationship. He explores the things both large and small that create divisions and draw attention to differences in this May-December romance. I loved how things such as Tony teaching Joey how to iron mirrored bigger conversations about money, sex, honesty, and communication. I also loved how King illustrated their chemistry and sexuality behind closed doors, while poignantly highlighting their discomfort in public with small details of body language. Eric and Mara, besides being fun characters you root for, became a sympathetic chorus or surrogate for the audience.

King tackles inter-generational gay love and sex in this perfectly-paced drama. Older man and young man getting it on - it's a turn-on for many in the community, and it also raises a legitimate question: Could this kind of relationship move beyond lust into a sustained, committed relationship? Like all relationships with age gaps, this play tackles issues of communication, trust, honesty, finance, past relationships and sexual behavior - and it's at times romantic, blissful, sexy, kinky, poignant, sad, depressing. This play is emotionally complex, and an audience should find this nothing but compelling.

A intricate exploration of relationships, about age difference between partners, and what communication means. King manages to create a real life depictions of the anxiety, hope, disillusion and bond created through partnership without ever taking away from the theatrical experience.

King's caring heart and gift for dialogue shines in this beautiful piece of realism. It's funny, it's sharp, it's clever, but it aches because it's so powerfully real. Maybe we haven't lived this relationship specifically, but we've all been there--and King captures it so beautifully, so concisely, and so painfully accurately in this play that forces the audience to watch these two men in all their strengths, weaknesses, goodness, and badness. A great showing from a great playwright.