Mr Braithwaite Has a New Boy.

Steven Dawson's latest outing is Queer as Folk meets Pretty Woman.

The older Mr Braithwaite hires the crass Johnny (James Miller) and starts seeing him once a week. Apart from predictably falling in love, Mr Braithwaite is motivated by the awareness that he has less days in front of him than he does behind him. He wants to leave his estate to someone other than his despised brother-in-law.

This is a typical Dawson play —ribald and loaded with contemporary and local references. It has the obligatory nudity and gets that out of the way quickly so the audience can concentrate on the story.

As the titular character, Iain Murton delivers an understated performance —playing the part so flawlessly you forget that he's acting.

Nathan Butler plays a range of lightweight and bitchy characters and so when he delivers the poignant punch that sets the mood for the final scene, he takes you by surprise.

Tear-jerker territory. Bring tissues.

Daniel G Taylor