TOXIC is a story set in Manchester during the era of AIDS and deftly navigates the issues for gay men around sex and being HIV positive, the impact of PrEP medication and how love and expectations and shame and trauma can impact a clearly loving relationship.
The Writer/Creator Nathaniel J Hall is a Queer playwright and HIV activist from Manchester. TOXIC is his second play and is semi-autobiographical.
As Nathaniel himself says: ‘The show is the story of two people in their early 30s who in their own words may fall in love and mess it up’.
The underlying themes of HIV stigma, racism, homophobia, shame and trauma in the Queer community and the shows’ name TOXIC sound like an intense night in the theatre. However, Director/Producer Gavin Roach finds the funny poignant truth of this story.
Mixed in with a great Lighting Design by Raphael Gennusa and Sound Design by Akesiu Poitaha the show is alive and full of light and colourful moments. As well as being deeply moving and in moments heart breaking.
The two boys from Manchester connect online and then meet up in a café and after a night in a nightclub where they fall ‘hard and fast’ for each other, the journey through their relationship begins.
One is HIV positive and the other is not. The issues of how sexual consent and HIV safety is traversed within the gay community evolves on a wider scale through their intimate agreements and differing sexual appetites.
Named only to the audience as the ‘Writer’ and ‘Performer’ we the audience are assured that they are each, and all of us, watching their story.
Patrick Phillips and Bash Nelson are beautifully cast as the couple and the charismatic energy between them make this an intimate and moving portrayal of two gay men struggling with the issues of love, relationships, HIV and trauma.
Theatrical devices, clever directing and staging and the Set and Costume design by Kaitlyn Symons take the audience seamlessly through individual spaces, nightclubs, their apartment and bedroom. The Substation as a venue was well utilised in the telling of this story. The set was simple and complex and well actualised.
The Manchester accents of our two lead men were perfected by Dialect and Vocal Coach Alison Benstead.
There was a point in the early stages of the production where the sex and underground club themes felt like the play may take some over extended narrative direction but that was quickly remedied as the intensity of the truth of the lover’s stories and personal life experiences were revealed.
Repetition of dialogue as the way of orienting the audience back to the central narrative was a clever device used by the playwright.
The use of the Britney Spears song ‘Toxic’ as an underlying theme to the hurdles and tragedy that occurs when a relationship goes from mutual chemistry and attraction to broken. It also firmly implants the story within the era of AIDS and its resulting history.
This production is presented by Hello Darling which ‘is an independent production company, dedicated to showcasing contemporary queer narratives that fuse emotional truth with bold theatrical craft.’
The Substation is fast becoming my favourite venue for the small intimate experience and truth-telling that is at the core of great theatre.
TOXIC has opened at Qtopia’s Substation and has its season till 9 May 2026. The show is 60 minutes long with no interval. Just a note – the entrance to The Substation is via stairs only.
Images: Robert Catto @robertcatto
