Review of Please Baby Please (2022) by Bertobellamy — 05 Apr 2023

'Please Baby Please' is as if David Lynch and John Waters had directed 'West Side Story.' This queer musical brings us closer to the fluidity of sexual identity through the experiences of a couple who, after a violent event, comes into conflict with what they have tried to hide all their lives.

Harry Melling and Andrea Riseborough deserve all the respect for being part of such a risky and unconventional project. Amanda Kramer's direction is the foundation of the lead's good performances and dance steps.

She also builds a relevant story about what it means to struggle with something you are not — which also has something to say about toxic masculinity and social pressure —. The production design, which uses a lot of theatrics for greater effect, also deserves special mention.

If there is anything to be criticized, it would be the lack of more bombastic musical numbers and Karl Glusman's character development, who, despite being the breaking point for both leads, we never really got to know him; and the screenplay also has some dialogues that feel way too didactic.

Either way, it's great to see 'Please Baby Please' embrace its visual influences to tackle a current topic.