You’ve heard of alcoholism, drug addiction and even sex addiction, but what about an addiction to a phone application?
Gavin Roach starred as Felix in the one-man tell-all show ‘Confessions Of A Grindr Addict’, which hit Brisbane Powerhouse’s Turbine Platform for Melt Festival. Joined on stage only by his teddy bear, Felix talked the audience through his many interesting experiences thanks to the dating application Grindr – the Tinder of the gay community.
The show almost turned the audience into members of an AA meeting, with Felix admitting his addiction as he prepared for a date. Throughout the evening he resisted the urge to use his phone, telling of the many times he had deleted and re-downloaded the app. Felix constantly expressed his nerves for the upcoming date, and reminisced about the hits and misses of his time on Grindr over the years.
Compiled only with script and no music, we as the audience were taken on a journey purely constructed by Felix’s words and raw emotion. The way he moved around the stage and repeatedly topped up his cup of wine communicated his unease and nervousness.
The out-of-the-ordinary, insane and at times all together ridiculous Grindr experiences that Felix shared created a relationship between himself and the members of the audience. We were able to feel his emotions as he told us of strange encounters with completely left of centre hook-ups, and also see the thoughts he experienced about those he wished to see again.Towards the end of the show, Felix showed a slightly more vulnerable side. He spoke about how he missed real emotion, the feeling of meeting someone he knew next to nothing about, and proper face-to-face connections, as opposed to meeting someone and “connecting” with them online. He admitted that, even as a Grindr addict, he missed the realness of human interaction.
Although he contemplated ditching the date to sit at home and re-download Grindr, he eventually decided to fight his urges and go.
‘Confessions Of A Grindr Addict’ was the simple, easy-to-grasp story of a self-confessed addict who wanted to change his ways, and did. The audience was taken on a rollercoaster ride of online hits and misses as Felix realised putting down his phone and meeting people the real way wasn’t such a bad idea.
Four out of five emoji stars.
