Yes But No: Consensual fun at the Gorki

How can we talk about sex nowadays? The five actors in Yael Ronen’s brave production dive deep into psychological recesses to speak about gross and hilarious childhood sexuality, clumsy first times and visceral scenes of abuse. Moods swing seamlessly, punctuated by Shlomi Shaban’s punchy songs that live in a space between Beach Boys, Bowie and shoegaze. A highlight is Riah May Knight’s and Taner Şahintürk’s hilarious duet “Lick your ass? – Yes please!”, followed by Şahintürk’s closing solo advocating male penetration as a possible panacea to toxic masculinity. After a breezy 75 minutes’ foreplay, Yael Ronen’s ensemble is ready to break the fourth wall. Impromptu workshops bring strangers together to hold hands, discuss the power of a “No” and burn our metaphorical masks in a meditation on frankness and transparency that demands relevance beyond the stage.