‘Degenerates’ Off Broadway Review: Virgin Misogynists Get the Play They Deserve

In 1961, Dirk Bogarde starred in a film often considered the first British depiction of homosexuality, titled "Victim." However, the film's portrayal of homosexuality is now viewed differently, as it blames homosexual blackmailers. The play "Degenerates," which premiered at Playwrights Horizons, explores a different subject matter – the incel community, a group of young men who believe they are sexually unattractive and often harbor hostile views towards women.

The lobby outside Playwrights Horizons also features a board with slang terms coined by the incel community, such as "Chad" and "Stacy." The play's first act is a lengthy conversation between two characters, Miller and Target, who both claim to be straight cis men. However, it becomes evident quickly that this is not the case. Miller, a closeted gay man, and Target, a transgender person, engage in explicit sexual activity.

Both characters are proficient in bed, despite their claims of being virgins or rape victims. The second act of "Degenerates" focuses on the consequences of these encounters, as Target seeks hormone therapy and Miller becomes even more misogynistic. In the incel chat room, Miller encourages the suicide of a man named Kemp for his inability to attract women.

The reviewer finds the play's message misguided, questioning why it targets men for their lack of acceptance of their own queerness.