At the Omnibus theatre in London, a palpable sense of lust and longing hangs in the air, long after the party’s echoes have faded. Louis Emmitt-Stern’s quick-witted and incisive play, “Slippery,” offers a compelling dissection of bereavement and the intricate landscape of the queer dating scene, earning critical acclaim and the prestigious Tony Craze award.
The narrative centers on Jude (portrayed by John McCrea) and Kyle (Perry Williams), two former hedonists whose paths diverge and then dramatically collide once more. A decade ago, their lives were a whirlwind of excess, fueled by drinks and drugs, culminating in a passionate but ultimately dissolved relationship. Kyle vanished, leaving their shared history to become a distant memory.
Now, fate intervenes, bringing them back together in Jude’s opulent Canary Wharf penthouse in the dead of night. Following a nasty fall, Jude’s emergency contact—surprisingly, Kyle—is called to the hospital. Years have passed, reshaping both men. Kyle has shed his party lifestyle, while Jude is in the raw, early stages of grief after the death of his partner, Sam. Both strive to maintain a composed facade, concealing the true depths of their emotions.
However, as they converse, prepare a simple spaghetti carbonara, and catch up on the turns their lives have taken, the carefully constructed lies they’ve told themselves and each other begin to crack. The play masterfully explores the tender and tumultuous space where past love, present pain, and the possibility of future connection collide.