With this new comedy by Steven Dawson (who also directs and designs it), Melbourne’s LGBT-focused theatre company Out Cast Theatre plays lazily to the crowd, favouring lashings of none-too-subtle and none-too-imaginative cheap smut and broadly-drawn characters.

Mr Braithwaite (Iain Murton, much better in the noble tragic stuff at the end than the camp larks at the beginning) employs the services of rent boy Johnny (a suitably buff and insouciant Mathew Gelsumini) but it soon becomes clear he’s looking for more than just sex. What with the intrusions of his bitchy Grindr-addict friend, narcoleptic old neighbour and vicious brother-in-law, predictable farce abounds. The constant manner of speech is an affected sort of wordy repartee which, although irresistibly cheeky at times, is delivered at such a speed that the odd word can be slurred or lost.

The about-face from farce to weepie brings some emotion to the fore, but feels awkwardly handled and comes too late to redeem a story that’s predictable and full of holes.

C aquila, 0845 260 1234, until 27 Aug (not 20), 6.25pm, £9.50--£11.50 (£7.50--£9.50).