Jake Brunger's Four Play, now revived at the King's Head Theatre, follows long-term couple Rafe (Lewis Cornay) and Pete (Zheng Xi Yong), who've never been with anyone else—and decide to “fix” that by sleeping with their friend Michael (Daniel Bravo). Michael's partner Andy (Jo Foster) is informed, at least in theory, but things soon unravel into a tangle of desire, emotional misfires, and conflicting boundaries.
It's a premise full of potential, and Brunger's script delivers moments of genuine wit and insight. The play is at its best when leaning into awkwardness and ambiguity, with dialogue that often cuts close to the bone. Director Jack Sain keeps the pace lively and the staging stylish, with some neat visual transitions that reflect the shifting emotional landscape of the four characters.
The performances are strong across the board. Lewis Cornay brings a brittle charm to Rafe, while Zheng Xi Yong's Pete is all internalised frustration and quiet hurt. Daniel Bravo captures Michael's emotional slipperiness well, and Jo Foster is magnetic as Andy—sharp, sincere, and often the emotional anchor of the play.
But for all its polish, Four Play doesn't feel quite as fresh as it once did. The themes it explores—open relationships, queer guilt, blurred emotional lines—have become staples of LGBTQ+ drama, and the play doesn't push them much further than expected.
Still, this is a well-acted, smartly directed revival that handles its subject matter with intelligence and style. Four Play may not break new ground, but it offers a knowing, sometimes biting look at love and longing in modern queer life.
It runs until 17 August.
Photos: Jack Sain