There are some twists and turns in this show, although there were so many that one ended up wondering whether anything either Andy (Jimmy Essex) or his client, Mr Miller (Billy Walker) was true or not. The latter even goes by a completely different name – or does he? Miller initially says he’s part of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, but only because he was coerced into it by ‘all’ of his friends and family, as though he would be turfed out of his house, employment and friendship groups unless he voted Republican. Andy, understandably, would rather not talk politics when all he is trying to do is perform a massage on his client, just as he does with his other clients. Alas, his own confession, assuming he’s even telling the truth at that juncture, reveals his apparent standards of maintaining professionalism aren’t always what they seem.
Beyond the mind games, there doesn’t seem to be much else going on in what is, in essence, a massage session with conversation, in real time. Quite rightly, it’s never long before Miller decides to make yet another verbal interjection – this isn’t a show where the audience is sat patiently watching a massage quietly taking place for an extended period. Andy seems very concerned about doing anything that might mean he could lose his licence (and if it seems odd that Florida insists on massage therapists being licensed, you’re meant to have a licence just to watch live television in Britain). Socio-political discussion came across as rather surface level to me, with broad brushstrokes of frustration with the status quo. The only ‘solution’, inverted commas mine, was for people with similar ideologies to stick together, which is presumably what is generally happening anyway. In this case, a call for unity was really very unsubtle code for what began as a client/therapist transaction to become something else entirely. Happy ending, y’see.
Miller and Andy (or is it Andy and Miller?) are, at face value, markedly different, both physically and in terms of outlook and demeanour: Miller wants to throw caution to the wind, whilst Andy believes it’s best if ‘the rules’ are followed. The set design is convincing as a massage studio, relatively uncluttered, allowing the focus and attention to be largely on the conversation. I mean, yes, there’s nudity (aside from ‘strong language’, it’s the only content warning for this production), but the setting of a massage parlour removes, very effectively, any element of surprise in that regard, which again, brings the attention back to the dialogue. There’s some talk of the gay dating scene, the details of which were mildly entertaining to listen to, though there surely can’t be that many people out there who don’t already know that for anyone looking for love, invariably needs to do so online these days. A light-hearted and fluffy show that could have delved deeper into some of the various topics it briskly covers.
Review by Chris Omaweng
Happy Ending invites audiences into the private world of Andy, a gay massage therapist whose routine is upended by the arrival of an unexpected client: Mr. Miller, a seemingly straight Trump supporter with a mysterious agenda.
As the session unfolds, tensions rise, secrets surface, and what begins as a routine appointment spirals into something far more unpredictable.
Packed with razor-sharp wit, provocative twists, and a seductive dose of suspense, Happy Ending keeps you guessing until the very last moment — because every good massage includes a happy ending… or does it?
Andrew Lockhart – Jimmy Essex
Mr Miller – Billy Walker
Written and directed by Ronnie Larsen
Design: Waterloo East Theatre
Lighting: Jonathan Simpson
Stage Manager: Diana Krasovska
Casting: Sarah Goggin for Anne Vosser Casting
Adam Roebuck presents
HAPPY ENDING
Waterloo East Theatre
27 September to 26 October 2025
