Sometimes you’ll go to see a piece of new writing at the Edinburgh Fringe and have absolutely no idea of the impact it will have on you by the time you leave. Such is the case with Behind Closed Doors from Corey Muizelaar, a powerfully raw and deeply honest portrayal of a relationship pushed to breaking point.
Set in Sunderland, Behind Closed Doors follows Jude and Charlie, a young gay couple whose relationship begins as a casual hookup before developing into something far more complicated. Jude is struggling with his mental health and substance misuse, while Charlie increasingly finds himself taking on the role of carer as much as partner. “You don’t love me, you need me,” Charlie tells Jude during one particularly explosive confrontation. It is a line that lingers throughout this compelling drama.
The play was originally written while Muizelaar was sectioned and encouraged to explore his experiences through writing as a form of therapy. Working alongside director Jason Marc Williams, those experiences have been transformed into a piece of theatre that feels both intensely personal and remarkably universal. Williams’ direction finds beauty in even the darkest moments, ensuring the production never loses sight of the humanity at its core.
This is not a straightforward love story. It is messy, complicated and often deeply uncomfortable to watch. The characters make decisions that, from the outside, can seem impossible to understand. In another play, you might question those choices. Here, they feel completely authentic because what Muizelaar has created is not a sanitised version of events designed to make an audience comfortable. It is an unflinching portrait of how addiction, mental illness and toxic relationships can become inextricably intertwined.
Music drifts through the production, with tracks from artists including The 1975 and Bastille helping to create an emotional landscape around the action. Some of the most affecting moments arrive without dialogue, allowing the audience space to sit with the emotions unfolding on stage. Combined with Williams’ assured direction, these sequences create a production that is as emotionally engaging as it is thought provoking.
Ben Robert Cunningham is excellent as Charlie, capturing both the character’s tenderness and his volatility. He keeps the audience constantly guessing, creating a portrait of a man who is as damaged as he is devoted. Opposite him, Muizelaar delivers a truly extraordinary performance as Jude. There is an undeniable vulnerability to his work, but also tremendous courage. Knowing that the play is rooted in his own lived experiences only makes the performance more remarkable. Together, the pair create a relationship that feels painfully real, drawing the audience into every high and devastating low.
Theatre is at its most powerful when it gives voice to experiences that are too often hidden away. What makes Behind Closed Doors so extraordinary is not simply that it tackles difficult subjects, but that it does so through the perspective of someone who has lived them. There is a truthfulness here that cannot be manufactured.
Muizelaar has transformed deeply personal experiences into a piece of theatre that feels universal, helping audiences better understand the realities of addiction, emotional abuse and mental health struggles. It is brave, compassionate and ultimately hopeful. Most importantly, it is exactly the kind of story that deserves to be heard.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
