Writer and performer Conor O’Cuinn cruises into Clapham’s Theatre503 with his one-man show Looking for Fun? The monologue has enjoyed previous runs in Edinburgh and at London’s King’s Head. There is clearly an audience for a play that authentically confronts Grindr and the wider world of gay hookup culture.
As we grow ever increasingly reliant on digital technology, the dating scene is constantly being infiltrated by more and more apps. Gone are the days when one might initiate conversation in a bar, it seems. Now, it’s all about an easy swipe left or right, filtered photos and being able to block someone, depositing them into the digital wilderness without the need for explanation. As with most things in life, there are pros and cons. Beyond the dangers associated with such apps, however, there is a certain irony that services designed to help us find either love or sex seem only to emphasise our loneliness. Of course, most people looking for fun get it but there is no doubting the infamous app has also illuminated the colder, callous attributes of the gay community.
O’Cuinn tackles this head on. Messages are projected onto the plastic sheeting that surrounds the small stage, reiterating the artificial, almost sterile nature of the app. He angles his phone to take selfies. Alerts are almost constant. The actor demonstrates an impressive skill for accents as he introduces us to a barber who may or may not be gay. The relatable awkwardness of a haircut is captured with comic flair, but we quickly transition to another time and place as O-Cuinn regales us with his various encounters.
They range from having sex with older men who then bore him with their enthused conversations about new patios and the like. We meet a Kiwi hookup who surprises our protagonist by preparing breakfast for him, only to later block him out of the blue. We visit sexual health clinics, party in clubs and shift nervously in our seats as our narrator finds himself in more sinister situations. A great deal is compacted into just under an hour and while this affords a healthy tempo, some more breathing space at certain moments would be welcome.
O’Cuinn offers an assured and endearing performance with this very timely piece of theatre. It could be even braver in its dissection of hookup culture and all that comes with it and there is the sense that beyond this current incarnation lies an even more urgent and impassioned play. Credit where credit is due, though. This is a young talent who has utilised the medium to offer some bold commentary on our times. He exercises excellent comic timing while also showcasing convincing emotion during the more poignant scenes. As with all good theatre, Looking for Fun? also ignites our thoughts and starts a conversation. Short, snappy and stimulating, with some cultivation both the play and its writer / performer could very well have exciting futures ahead.
Review by Jonathan Marshall
Looking for Fun? is a raw and unflinching one-person play that dives into the world of online hookups, queer identity, and the pursuit of connection in an age of instant gratification. Through witty monologues, playful audience interaction, and moments of deep vulnerability, we follow Looking4fun—a young man navigating the highs and lows of hookup culture, sexual liberation, and the scars of loneliness and shame.
Set against the pulsating glow of Grindr notifications and neon-lit club nights, this is a story about community, intimacy, and the search for something real amidst the chaos of “fun”. In a series of encounters—from awkward barber visits to tender dates—he reflects on love, shame, and the complexities of intimacy in a community shaped by its history and desires. As he spirals deeper into a cycle of fleeting connections and self-doubt, he grapples with what it truly means to belong, to love, and to be loved.
Written by Conor O’Cuinn
Directed by Tazy Harrison-Moore
LOOKING FOR FUN?
Theatre503
22 to 24 January 2025
