Get Happy at Pleasance Theatre

Adam (Joseph Aldous, who is also the writer of the play) becomes aware of a ticking clock encroaching on his seemingly carefree, content world. His housemate, Ryan’s sudden engagement and subsequent departure from their home is the catalyst that prompts the protagonist to question just where he is with his life. As Ryan condescendingly assures his friend not to worry and that he will find it and be happy too, Adam embarks on his quest for fulfilment. According to Alexa (who he seems to interact with more than anyone else, to great comic effect), all he needs is secure employment, a steady home and healthy relationships. Easy, right?

All his queer friends seem so stable in their careers and are building solid, structured lives, whereas Adam lacks foundations. His mother passed away only a year ago. His father now lives with another woman in Dubai. Adam has been cast from his moorings and is drifting in a haze of uncertainty. Aldous interacts with the audience as they shuffle into the intimate downstairs space at the Pleasance Theatre. It’s hard to tell if he’s in character until he announces he’s ready to begin. From there we enter a high-octane, fun-fuelled 75 minutes, as we are regaled with hilarious tales of Adam’s various encounters and experiences. 

If he’s not swiping right, he’s downing drinks from bar to bar. He’s temping on a zero-hours contract (although to Grindr and Hinge hook-ups he works “in business”), and the girls in the office love him. They finally have a token gay best friend and begin to wear rainbow earrings, compliment his “fierce” appearance and expect him to be a fountain of knowledge about all things Drag Race and Queer Guy. Aldous draws much comedy from his impressions of his co-workers; small details such as the HR officer wearing a name badge even though it is in no way expected add to the laughs. 

When one of the girls smells alcohol on a hungover Adam, he is soon called into a meeting with said HR officer. Shifting the blame to the other temp, a guilt-ridden Adam somehow survives the disciplinary and manages to keep his job, only to later compromise himself in a far worse way (no spoilers!). As the dates disappoint and his employment is terminated, Adam is still behind on rent and feeling forlorn. He is failing in his mission. Returning to his childhood home in Milton Keynes, the protagonist ruminates on his mother: she always told him he was doing well and that she was proud of him. These words are uttered by surrogate Alexa throughout the play, and at this point it becomes evident that his grief is unresolved.

For all the humour and zest of Aldous’s performance, Get Happy is not afraid to delve into quieter, poignant moments. When Adam realises partying away his problems isn’t the answer, it is sobering to see him finally confront things head-on. As he talks to the new occupants of his former home from outside the front door, we see just how vulnerable he really is. It’s a beautifully performed scene and a surprising, yet welcome, change in tempo. This is a man who is simply trying to stay afloat in the hectic high-pressure world we have grown accustomed to, with expectations of where we should be at different points in our lives hard to avoid. 

The clouds are soon lifted as Adam returns to London with newfound resolve. We are treated to an all-out dance routine, complete with confetti. The writer/actor succeeds in taking his audience through an array of emotions. He is effortlessly endearing and his observations about queer culture and society in general are astute. Thanks to his comic execution and ability to sustain momentum in both his writing and performance, Aldous provides a promising debut that is sure to entertain. 

Jonathan Marshall

Get Happy is at Pleasance Theatre from 27^th February until 4^th March 2023. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.