Pride month in Toronto was even more fun with Boys in Chairs Collective’s production of Access Me. This no-holds-barred play talks about everything from dating to simple daily tasks, from awkward questions to modern dance routines, all through the unique lens of the creator/performers. This compelling work is equal parts informative and fun, absolutely worth the time and effort it took to get it to the stage.

Access Me is a collaboration between Andrew Gurza, Frank Hull, and Ken Harrower; all three of them are queer, disabled performers. While the title has several many potential meanings, I truly did feel like we were able to access their true selves through this performance. They held nothing back and I found it refreshing while also being a necessary contributions to our current conversations. It was fascinating getting to know them so intimately through their art; by the time the show is done you feel like you’ve known them all for ages! Each performer brings their own exceptional take to the performance as they discuss their backgrounds, their kinks, and their life experiences.

When entering the theatre, audience members who were open to participating in the show received a VIP lanyard, and on the back of each card is a question. These questions are all real life inquiries the creators had received in past relationships. Everything from “Will I have to be your caretaker?” To “How do you pee?” Were on the backs of these cards. The performers used this as an ice-breaker game where all three would give their answers to the question; sometimes their answers were very similar, other times they would differ greatly. It’s these unique perspectives which makes Access Me the phenomenal show it is; they’ve created a safe space wherein they can be totally open about every aspect of their life, and by allowing audience members into the space, we all learn a little something about them and ourselves.

Access Me was such a fun production; from the audience participation, to the stories they told, and culminating in a dance party after the performance was finished, Access Me was a great time. I feel like it really accomplished what it set out to do, as well; it opened my eyes and my mind to new ideas while allowing me to see the biases which exist in society and within my own thinking. Keep an eye out for more productions from this amazing trio, you certainly won’t want to miss it! You can check out their website at: https://accessme.squarespace.com

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Photo by Ana Higuera – Featuring Andrew Gurza