Intimacy Co-ordinator Aids Actor Safety in Staged Sex Scenes

Robbie Taylor Hunt, an intimacy co-ordinator, assists actors in feeling “safe” during the simulation of sex on stage. He employs specialist equipment and modesty garments among other techniques to achieve realistic intimate scenes, while simultaneously guaranteeing that performers “are comfortable and know each other’s boundaries.” Currently, Mr. Hunt is collaborating with the cast of Reverberation, a production running at the Bristol Old Vic until November 2, where the storyline critically features sex involving numerous positions. Mr Taylor stated, “It’s an incredibly big ask to be nude or simulate a sex act in front of loads of people, we just need to make sure it’s supported and facilitated.” Mr Hunt chose to pursue training as a queer intimacy co-ordinator following his experience directing romantic scenes in theatre. He commented, “I was feeling like I was managing them okay but really there needed to be something else there. When I heard about intimacy co-ordination, it was a very exciting thing for me.” According to Mr. Hunt, the role first emerged in the US in 2017 and was subsequently introduced in the UK in 2018. However, the #Me Too movement significantly influenced directors and producers to regard the position with greater seriousness. Mr Hunt further explained, “We found that studios and production companies were much more keen to incorporate intimacy processes and have us there on set.” The play Reverberation depicts the narrative of a man who employs sex as a means to avoid addressing his problems, featuring performances by Eleanor Tomlinson of The Outlaws, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, and Jack Gibson. Mr Hunt noted that replicating sex scenes presents greater challenges in a theatrical setting compared to on-screen productions. He elaborated, “The beautiful Bristol Old Vic is such a brilliant space but you have audience from lots of points of view – left, right, front. So we’re trying to cheat it for a lot of people.” He added, “Often on screen you’ll film it in sections. Particularly in this play, it has an extended intimacy sequence which is long. You have no break there, you’re in it.” “People always think it’s quite a sexy job, it’s actually very unsexy,” Mr Hunt further stated. He explained, “We’re working with modesty garments – some sort of underwear material that people are wearing to imply a level of nudity that they’re not actually performing in the room.” He also highlighted, “Part of my role is working with really good communication ahead of rehearsal and performances so everyone is on the same page about what is being agreed to.” For updates, follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.