Saw the afternoon performance today.
Yes - the laughs come fast and furious like OH, MARY. However, the fundamental difference here is that OH, MARY has a a distinct premise and actively elevates that premise to the point where it is both absolutely absurd, but also creates a character worth rooting for.
MESSY WHITE GAYS…does not have that. Drew Droege definitely could make you laugh until you cramp, but it’s all ultimately empty calories after spending 80 minutes with some of the most unsavory people who, if the comic ball drops at any moment, game over. The characters are such broadly drawn gay stereotypes of the modern era that there are, in equal measure, enough moments that made me cringe. It never feels like Droege and cast are trying to satirize these archetypes so much as they are actually inhabiting them.
It’s truly a mixed bag. You can go and have a blast if you are looking for something absolutely brainless and farcical, but even a few hours after, I’m having a hangover-type feeling from how slapdash the play itself feels.
Reviews are in:
https://playbill.com/article/read-the-reviews-for-messy-white-gays-off-broadway
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/29/23
‘Messy White Gays’ Review: A Satire We’ve Seen Before
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/theater/messy-white-gays-review-drew-droege.html?unlocked_article_code=1.y08.Xtj1.LVYzdiyAgBAT&smid=nytcore-android-share
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