It’s certainly not every day you get to see six men prancing around in their birthday suits on stage. But this was just your average Friday night as I sat in the Strovolos Municipal Theatre as loud giggles resonated across the room followed by plenty of drawn out ‘oohs’ and ‘aaahs’. I found myself giggling too.
I was watching the Greek version of Naked Boys Singing, a show that started off as an American musical and has now become an international name after it’s off Broadway launch in 1998. With these men currently giving shows in packed theatres in their home country, they came to our island for two nights in Nicosia and Paphos, attempting to break down a few boundaries for Cyprus standards.
The noticeable amount of gay male couples in the audience was an indication that both local men and women are screaming out for something a little different to entertain them.
Marketed as musical comedy, male nudity may be the main selling point but there was more to it than naked flesh. Step forth Greek comedian, Sofia Moutidou, who drew in the crowds with her witty comments on the mike. “How many of you have seen a group of naked men before?” she shouted. “Only in my dreams,” said one woman. “Haven’t been with more than two at any one time,” replied another. The presenter then questioned why male nudity is such a big taboo as plenty of other funny comments ensued. Loneliness, love, relationships, sex, the workplace – you name it, she had something to say about it.
As for the hunky men, the show revolved around them breaking out into song as they spoke about pretty much everything from the idea of a perfect body to male masturbation habits. Dressed in their underwear for the most part, sometimes they appeared with small towels wrapped round their waist, taking them off to prance around in all their glory for brief moments.
When the time came for them to take their final bow, I dashed backstage to meet the team for a chat. Sophia was the first to greet me in her changing room. “You know what?” she said lowering her voice and leaning in close. “I was warned that people in Cyprus may be a bit prejudiced and conservative – I was scared they may not have taken well to my comments. I mean, I was rather crude. But they were the best audience we’ve ever had, they were so warm and seemed to really enjoy it.”
So what’s the funniest comment she’s ever heard from an audience member? “I once asked the audience what the term idiot meant to them. One girl shouted out ‘he’s an idiot’ as she pointed to a man in the distance. He then screamed ‘no, she’s an idiot.’ They were a couple who had just broken up who had come to see the show and just started squabbling in the middle of it all.”
One Naked Boy, Manos, then walked into the room looking far more humble off stage in a simple a t-shirt and jeans. “The crowd was just amazing tonight. It’s not the easiest thing to be naked on stage but you’re just playing a role. We want to feel at ease with our bodies and use it as a tool.” Tall, buff and dashingly handsome, Manos is every inch the dream man. But surely he’s had some weird experiences after showing the audience his private parts? “I’ve certainly had quite a response from gay men; I remember one man that kept trying to reach out and grope me. I just had to turn my back on him.”
What really surprises me is the ease with which they can dance around naked when they know family members are sitting in the audience. After all, two of the men in the show – Phillipos and Nikos – are Cypriots. “I remember how weird it was when my mum came to the premiere in Greece,” said Nikos. “But it just takes a bit of getting used to. Tonight my cousins were in the audience.” Believe or not, he actually looks a little shy when speaking about it.
The 27-year-old was born in Canada, having grown up in Cyprus before deciding on moving to Greece to get involved in the world of theatre. But surely he never imagined his body would become a selling point? “I was nervous at first but the show is about so much more than naked bodies. Sure, the whole idea of being naked intrigues crowds but then I think they get involved in everything else. There are so many bad things happening in today’s world and this show is about having fun.” If laughs is what they’re after, sure looks like they’ve nailed it.
