Beary Good: Bear Hug Reviewed

Bear Hug, a gay play with gay themes but no gay characters, written by St. Andrean student, RG Mackenzie, delighted its audience, eliciting varying degrees of laughter throughout. Bear Hug depicts the story of recent graduate Alex and his thwarted quest to confess his love for Sarah, his close friend, amidst a farcical Halloween party as his parents debate his sexual identity. Alex’s privacy-invading (but overall loving) mother decides that the only way to get the answer is for the two of them to attend his party in disguise and interrogate his friends.

Mackenzie, first and foremost, should be commended for his witty, lighthearted, and touching script. He promised a “love story sweeter than Halloween candy” and an “off beat romantic comedy” and, on both accounts, delivered. The lines were clever; the characters were relatable; Bear Hug was a piece of fluffy fun. My only complaint was that it did not last longer. The conclusion felt a bit rushed.

Mackenzie’s direction also deserves praise. He made excellent usage of the small Barron space by recreating a thorough bedroom in the back and using lighting to convey room changes up front. From the get go, the audience were included in the action. Actors were already present on stage and Jared Liebmiller, as Alex, immediately shattered the fourth wall by delivering his opening monologue directly to them. The choreographed dance/ fight sequence was also exceptionally well done and definitely a memorable moment.

The actors were all well cast with each bringing a great sense of comic timing. Liebmiller convincingly portrayed the nervous (slightly awkward) Alex with charm. Almost immediately, he had the audience rooting for him by adeptly being very relatable. Sarah Pollack (Rachel) and Will Costello (Bruce) were especially funny as Alex’s quirky and cringeworthy, yet endearing, parents. Their chemistry was adorable and both displayed the ability to leave the audience roaring with laughter while also coming across as ultimately loving and concerned with their son’s well being and happiness. Rebecca D’Souza also skillfully played her role as the sweet, but also in some cases delightfully firey Sarah. Tom Giles hilariously depicted Tim, a slightly disgruntled non-uni friend of Alex’s who was the catalyst of many of the problems faced by the characters. His trickster ways and use of bad pun jokes (complete with hand gesture and facial expression) were very fun to watch. Sarah’s tough-as-nails friend Anna, played by Isabelle Armson, completed the ensemble, adding more puns and sharp humor to the mix.

Overall, RG Mackenzie’s Bear Hug was exactly as it was advertised: a fun-filled light hearted romantic comedy. The combination of a well written script, solid direction, and a talented cast made for an enjoyable, Halloween-themed evening. I very much look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Photo courtesy of the Bear Hug team and Mermaids.