Have you ever partaken in phone sex? No, me neither. But when you think about it, it’s not a bad way to have sexual thrills with no risks. Why do I mention this, you may ask, and am I adding my phone number to this review? Definitely not. No, the subject of phone sex has come up because Robert Chelsey’s 1986 one-act play Jerker has opened for a limited run at the Waterloo East Theatre.
The play is set in San Francisco in the early 1980s and tells the story of two gay men, wounded Vietnam veteran JR (Paul Dennison) and Bert (James Lee) spend their nights indulging in horny chats designed to give both satisfaction, shall we say. JR actually knows who Bert is – they met at a club one night where he got Bert’s number – but Bert doesn’t remember JR and, to be frank, doesn’t care that much, as he enjoys the anonymous fantasies they play out. Over the course of the play, we see their relationship change and grow from indulging in anonymous fantasy to something deeper and more real as they share stories about themselves
That’s all I can tell you about the plot because the essence of the story is journeying with JR and Bert as they move from phone sex to something more. On the surface, Jerker could be considered quite a shallow play about horny men, but there is so much more to it. As in many relationships, there are questions of power. Whilst JR always initiates the calls, and certainly for the first scene is totally in control of the conversation, that soon changes. Yes, JR does the calling but, thanks to the fantasy the two develop, Bert becomes the controlling person. As a sweet, innocent man, I obviously know nothing about the conversations that take place when two men play via the phone, but the conversations – both the erotic and the personal – sounded very authentic and explained so much about JR and Bert’s journey together.
And I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the trip as they grow from being phone sex buddies to caring friends. I really loved both guys, and about halfway through I was deeply wishing they would give up on the phones and get together in real life. Whether they do or don’t, I can’t say, but I will admit the ending took me by surprise and may have led to a tear or two being shed by my good self. But to be a hit, it’s not just the narrative that needs to work; it’s also the characters. And Dennison and Lee have a real chemistry that goes down the phone lines and over the footlights to the audience, making them not only believable as individuals but also as a telephone-line-connected couple.
Speaking of telephones, kudos to Waterloo East Theatre for finding two old landline radio telephones. Just seeing them brought back memories of my childhood, when the receiver was always put somewhere that wasn’t the cradle, leading to a hunt through the cushions whenever someone called. JR and Bert had their own bedroom set across the Waterloo East stage, with an obvious split between them so each character inhabited his own property. Director Henry Adams and Sound Designer Scott Michaels use era-appropriate music to add a break between scenes – phone calls – and give an indication of time moving on as the guys converse. I have to say, the last piece of music played was absolutely perfect for the ending and added an extra infusion of emotion to the final moments. Likewise, Jonathan Simpson’s lighting design was perfectly worked out and again worked so well with the sound and the acting to make the final scenes so memorable.
The 1980s were a difficult time for gay men, and Jerker is a fascinating insight into an unconventional relationship in a community filled with fear and trepidation about the future. Well written and acted, the play is not only a reminder of a world that, thanks to the Apps and OF etc is now gone forever but also of the importance of being open and honest before it’s too late.
Review by Terry Eastham
Jerker is a daring and seductive two-person drama about two strangers who connect through a series of late-night phone calls. What begins as anonymous fantasy quickly sparks into something deeper.
Hidden from each other’s sight, the men reveal secrets, fears, and longings through nothing but their voices. Each call pulls them further into an intimate world where imagination becomes a lifeline, where the line between fantasy and genuine connection begins to blur, raising the question of who they really are to one another.
By turns playful, provocative, and unexpectedly tender, the play explores how intimacy can grow in isolation. It’s a steamy, suspenseful journey into desire, vulnerability, and the power of being heard.
Cast:
JR – Paul Dennison
Bert – James Lee
Creatives:
Written by Robert Chelsey
Director: Henry Adams
Assistant Director/Intimacy Director: Alice Camarota
Set/Costume: Waterloo East Theatre
Lighting Design: Jonathan Simpson
Sound Design: Henry Adams & Scott Michaels
QLab Programing: Dylan Salinger
Stage Manager: Jack Firman
Photography & Videography: Scott Michaels
JERKER
Waterloo East Theatre
26 September to 18 October 2026
