A Moment for the Women of ‘Heated Rivalry’

fierce competition (Still) suffocating women. Yes, it’s beloved by gay men, but it also has women — straight, queer, everything else — who are absolutely wild to these gay hockey players. It’s easy to understand why: Ilya Rozanov (Connor Story) and Sean Holland (Hudson Williams) share a love that transcends gender. There is no heterosexual dynamic that straight women are particularly put off by. And, no matter which way you swing, they look great. The altar could house the small cross that struck Ilya’s chest. I’ve also watched the video of Storrie dancing to “Like a Prayer” no less than 35 times.

But there’s something else: the women in the show. While it would be easy to position the women in the two protagonists’ lives as watery, one-dimensional plot devices or even needy, desperate villains, they are anything but that. women are fierce competition Smart, strong and helpful. They behave normally and calmly. Crucially, they are also very important to the story. Elena (Nadine Barba) gently urges Scott (François Arnaud) to prioritize his love for Kip (Robbie Graham-Kontz). Svetlana (Ksenia Harlamova) emotionally supports Ilya while acquiescing to his love for Shane. Rose (Sophie Nellis) lends a helping hand to Sean in his time of need.

Sabrina Lantos

Nor are they women who exist solely as a shoulder to lean on, without having a fulfilling life of their own. Svetlana is a powerful hockey fan who wants rather than needs Ilya’s love. Sean’s mother Yuna (Christina Chang) seems to be in control of Sean’s career. Ross was a famous actor who Sean was initially smitten with, often out shooting superhero movies – she wasn’t going to chase a man she didn’t like. When she doubts Sean’s sexuality, she treats the situation with kindness and good humor (“Like, 70 percent—actually 80 percent—of my exes have left me for other men”). Even Hayden’s (Callan Porter) wife Jackie (Camila Kowal) seems to be the dominant one in their relationship.

Too often, in male-centric stories, women succumb to flattened stereotypes even when they can have an impact. Women may feel bored and sometimes uncomfortable watching such stories. (There is a reason in the middle OppenheimerI considered walking out of the theater for the first time in my life. ) Of course, when it comes to queer love stories about men, women don’t need to be the protagonists because they’re irrelevant to us. But I do think the way women are positioned fierce competition The show’s intense, almost cult-like popularity among women and gay men is at least partly responsible.

As a queer woman, I found myself feeling connected to this story rather than isolated. I recognize the complex, chaotic, euphoric feelings surrounding self-actualization. I saw myself in a relationship that existed outside of heterosexual dynamics. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the show uses tATu’s chanteuse song “All the Things She Said” in one of its most pivotal scenes (combining the original with a cover by British producer Harrison and male vocals). Queer yearning is queer yearning. Forbidden love often appears in the same form. The play’s exploration of these themes is both broad and clever.