As a theatre space, Colab Tower in London Bridge offers quirky novelty and elements of mystery to the uninitiated. Prior to the performance, audience members were asked to wait in The Gold Bar, before being called to the show. The bar features an abundant range of drinks (2 types of stout!), plush theatrical drapes, a cabaret stage, art installations and the vibes of a private members club. From this cosy, bohemian space, the audience were then called en masse to descend a labyrinth of bland, office block stairs. Like a drunken office party on an unscheduled fire safety tour, we arrived in the unpolished bowels of the building. The room we were then ushered into felt like the lair of a serial killer. Exposed pipes, peeling paint, industrial lighting and plastic chairs only added to the sinister atmosphere. The ‘backstage’ area was delineated by heavy plastic sheeting of the type one might find in an abattoir or building site.
This unusual prelude to the performance was mildly exciting, but ultimately rather misleading. This is a play about sexuality, gender expression, and identity, but the horror film environment seemed better suited to a tale of murder, dystopia and terror. It took some time to adjust to the aesthetic conflict between the action and its setting.
Mike Bartlett’s Cock premiered at the Royal Court in 2009 starring Andrew Scott and Ben Whishaw as a gay couple torn apart by a new (female) lover. Taron Egerton and Jonathan Bailey starred in a 2022 revival at the Ambassadors Theatre. Those are big shoes to fill. The premise of the story is that the only named character, John (Aidan de Salaiz) cheats on his male partner M (Michael Torontow) with a woman (Tess Benger).
Following several highly charged and very heterosexual liaisons, he then can’t decide between the boyfriend he lives with or the woman he’s having a hot fling with. It’s not unusual for men to wait until their late twenties before they can admit to same-sex attraction. In this situation, it’s a gay man, suddenly discovering an untapped heterosexual passion in his late twenties. It’s an unlikely scenario, but not beyond the realms of possibility. Sexuality is a spectrum and those nuances are rarely treated seriously. Bartlett’s script goes some way to making this bisexual dilemma believable, but the onus is on the actors and their chemistry to give this schism its authenticity.
Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT) is an independent Canadian theatre company, known for innovative, site-specific, and immersive productions. Cock is a 90-minute descent into emotional conflict and relationship breakdown. In this production, the audience has no distance or escape from the intensity of the drama. The awkward proximity, in this grim and claustrophobic basement is both a blessing and a curse. In the final scenes, where M’s father (Kevin Bundy) is dragged into the row with this conflicted trio, it was a thrill to have a seat amongst the action. One felt entirely immersed in the angst. It was like having a ringside seat at a savage boxing match. At other points, it felt like the performances were too big for the space. Director Dylan Trowbridge might have exercised restraint in the earlier scenes, and then slowly cranked up the drama. Starting at high voltage left the drama few places to go.
One can understand why Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey was cast in the role of John. He has nuclear levels of charm and attraction. Men, women and possibly their pets would abandon everything for a bonk with the beautiful Bailey. The Internet is obsessed. Aidan de Salaiz as John, did a fine job of capturing his character’s selfish confusion. He was less successful at conveying why a straight woman and a gay man would invest so much energy fighting over him.
Tess Benger was utterly brilliant as the woman who proves a sexual spanner in the works. The subtleties of her performance were perfect for the intimacy of the space. As M’s father, Kevin Bundy was equally compelling. It’s largely a comic turn, but Bundy simmered with palpable rage when confronted by Benger for leering at her cleavage at the nightmare dinner party that closes the play.
Throughout the production, actors were required to change the lighting by stamping on floor switches or whacking one on the wall behind them. The subtle changes in lighting didn’t seem to justify these odd acts of distracting technical business. The choice of heavy-duty butcher-style plastic curtains also proved incongruous. The sound made by that PVC canvas, as each character left or entered the stage felt jarring. It fitted the bleak, industrial nature of the space, but was at odds with the play’s settings.
It was an entertaining show, with some strong performances, but felt unduly hampered by external elements. It felt more like a bracing funfair ride than a reflection of real life.
Cock is at Colab until 2nd May
COLAB Theatre – Immersive Theatre – Action Theatre
Reviewer: Stewart Who?
Reviewed: 24th April 2026
North West End UK Rating: