Just as the rest of THISISPOPBABY’s productions, 0800-CUPID is a maximalist, camp and vibrant show of extravagant light work, out-of-this world musical acts and masterful dance numbers. Yet, even with its over-the-top production, the show is bursting with intimacy and introspection.

0800-CUPID is a 70-minutes-long gut punch that manages to be just as funny as it is stirring. Sitting at the crossroads between a play, a musical and a one-woman-show, it tells the story of a “fantastical period” in Emer Dineen’s life – who wrote and stars in the show.

0800-CUPID at the Projects Arts Centre. Credit: Olga Kuzmenko

The narrative follows our main character as she tries to navigate her life as a struggling performer in London, touching on a vast number of events ranging from heartbreak, her nightlife career as her drag persona Cupid, her father’s dementia and her own diagnosis with Tourette’s, punctuated by fantastical EDM-lined musical numbers (assured by Elaine Mai), powerful monologues and carefully interpreted scenes.

When entering the Project Arts Center, the sight of the stage is deceptively simple – in fact, it’s mostly empty, apart from three musicians lined up at the back, namely Tom Beech on keys, Michael McCarthy on drums and Osazee Aiguokhian on bass. Following the same pattern, the show is entirely interpreted by three comedians / dancers / singers – Dineen in her own role, and Isabel Adomakoh Young and Carl Harrison in every other ones.

0800-CUPID at the Projects Arts Centre. Credit: Olga Kuzmenko

The aired-out stage allows for the viewer not to feel overwhelmed by the fast-paced performance, instead welcoming each new musical number with open arms and letting the story feel as intimate as it’s supposed to be - a deep-dive into Dineen’s psyche, life and emotional torments.

0800-CUPID manages the tour de force of dealing with heavy subjects with constant humour and light-heartedness without diminishing their weight, leaving the spectator bursting with laughter one second and in tears the next.

Despite being about a very specific series of events in the writer’s life, there is something universal about the show’s underlying themes – a struggle all too recognisable for anybody who’s lived as a lost 20-something years old in the post-pandemic world.

0800-CUPID at the Projects Arts Centre. Credit: Olga Kuzmenko

Throughout the story, as Dineen advances through earth-shattering events, the underlying questions remain: does everyone else feel like this? Scared, lost and confused – like they’re shouting into the void while being bombarded by constant content and stimuli, the possibilities both overwhelming and inexistant?

Mostly, though, 0800-CUPID tells a story of resilience – of having no idea what you’re doing and yet still pushing through, no matter how many times life kicks you to the curb.

The play's use of music is perfectly balanced and incredibly unique, sometimes a comedic tool and other times an emotional catalyst. Live musicians and pre-recorded EDM take turns accompanying each scene, delightfully surprising and distinctive every time.

0800-CUPID at the Projects Arts Centre. Credit: Olga Kuzmenko

There are, of course, no good shows without good comedians. It would be the understatement of the century to say that Adomakoh Young and Harrison do a fantastic job, smoothly switching from role to role in matters of minutes, dancing and singing in a way that seems as effortless as it is magnetic.

They make the perfect accompaniment to Dineen’s soul-stirring performance: she is an absolute powerhouse, charismatically leading the room for the entirety of the show, musical and dance numbers just as perfectly interpreted as long monologues and playful scenes. By the end of the 70 minutes run, Dineen looks visibly drained, a testament to how much of herself she’s put in the play and its interpretation.

0800-CUPID at the Projects Arts Centre. Credit: Olga Kuzmenko

Trying to define 0800-CUPID is, by nature, unjust – because it is so much more than a comedy, a play or a musical. Instead, it is a love letter to drag culture and the queer nightlife, an exploration of universal anxieties and a one-of-a kind emotional and theatrical experience.

• 0800-CUPID debuted at the Dublin Theatre Festival on September 26 at the Project Arts Centre and will run until October 5. It will then play from October 16 to 25 at the Soho Theatre in London.