The bass thumps as the dance music blares in the club. One glance turns to two, turns to more, turns to a new path in life. David Scotland’s I’ve Never Met Anyone Quite Like You Before, directed by Amy Allen, takes audiences through the highs and lows of David and Art’s relationship. Told through a series of emotional vignettes, I’ve Never Met Anyone Quite Like You Before is a beautiful story of queer love.

David and Art meet in a nightclub; but Art’s over the vibe and wants to head to another club before the night’s over, so David follows. What David doesn’t realize is that that first meeting is going to set the tone for the rest of their relationship. Art wants to have multiple partners and generally does his own thing, while David seems more inclined to a monogamous life with Art. We find out through David’s soliloquies that he’s had quite a rough childhood, and there’s still a lot of issues he’s trying to work out for himself. Though their differences eventually drive the two apart, the play ends with a Bakhtinian carnivalesque return-with-a-change: we’re suddenly back in the nightclub, but this time David knows what he wants and he goes for it with the confidence Art’s been looking for all along.

I didn’t go to this play expecting to hear any theological discussions, however David’s first monologue is probably one of the most affirming and intriguing theories I’ve heard in a while. While talking to God, David begins to muse about Jesus’ sacrifice; firstly, as a gay man he feels that the destruction of such a beautiful specimen could not have been truly ordained by God. But his next point is what really struck home: that Jesus’ sacrifice isn’t really for us, but it was for him. With so many people suddenly listening to this one man, just a 30 year old carpenter, it must have been very overwhelming. Yet folks weren’t getting the picture that his existence was due to something much greater than himself. Only through his death could this message be achieved. It’s a very different narrative for a story we’ve all heard so many times, and yet something about it rang true in my soul. Because this is the first time that we’re hearing some of David’s inner thoughts and feelings, it also helped me feel like I’d found a kindred spirit in the character, which makes the emotional investment in the play all the more easy.

Writer David Scotland also stars as David. His sweet charm and kind disposition are a total foil to Art. Robert Strange’s Art is confident and strong, and he wants to see more of that side from David. Scotland and Strange have palpable chemistry, playing really well off of one another, seemingly with a great deal of trust as well. My only wish is that some of the more intimate and emotional scenes didn’t have to be done on the floor; it was hard to see them as they were lying in bed together and I wanted the full effect of what was happening. Otherwise, the two gave passionate performances.

The bass thumps as the dance music blares in the club. I’ve Never Met Anyone Quite Like You Before reminds us to go after who and what we want in life. Our time on this Earth is precious and limited, so what’s the harm in going full out?

I’ve Never Met Anyone Quite Like You Before was only in Toronto for two performances, but hopefully they’ll cross the pond with this moving story again! You can follow quitelikeyou Productions here:quite like you Productions (@quitelikeyouproductions) • Instagram photos and videos

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Cover Photo: Robert Strange and David Scotland.

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