Written and Directed by Brooke Jessop
Review by Eve Nugent
A warm light fades up on Andrew, sprawled across the sofa in his baggy jeans, white vest, and small hoop earrings. He is fast asleep, arm dangling, surrounded by his mess – until his boyfriend Julian struts in, passionately dancing to Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go. David Bowie posters plaster the backdrop of Bedlam Theatre, with furniture arranged to create the cramped feeling of a London flat. From the offset, the audience is transported to the 1980s in this Paradok Platform performance of Unwelcome – the following hour contains a heartfelt tale that seamlessly intertwines politics and personal tensions.
Julian heads off to work, injected with buoyant charm and outstanding energy by Eric Parker. Left alone, Andrew, played with great sensitivity by Sam Mackinnon, picks up his guitar to sing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. However, he is interrupted – Tracy is at the door, his loose-lipped sister visiting from Huddersfield for “not long, only forever”. In this role, Megan Crutchley shows a natural instinct for comedy, waltzing around the stage with well-timed wit and nonchalance.
As his boyfriend and sister interact, Andrew’s carefully constructed identity starts to crack, revealing his double life; to Julian, he is from Surrey, but Tracy exposes his council estate upbringing. After a heated exchange, the conflict resolves in a moving message: embrace your past without shame, as those that matter will love you unconditionally.
Firmly set against the backdrop of Thatcher’s government – with pointed references to the AIDS epidemic and Section 28, the legislation that prohibited local authorities from “promoting sexuality” – Unwelcome is both politically resonant and emotionally engaging. Under the direction of writer Brooke Jessop, alongside assistant director Grace Murray, the show leaves tears being wiped at the Bedlam exit. Despite the occasional moments of disjunct energy between actors, this is an overall very promising and touching piece of theatre.
A Show Which Leaves Tears
Unwelcome runs at Bedlam Theatre
Running time: Sixty minutes without interval
Review by Eve Nugent (contact@corrblimey.uk)
An undergraduate French student at the University of Edinburgh, Eve has a diverse interest in theatre and performance. Her primary devotion is acting, predominantly at Bedlam Theatre with her fellow students, but also with French group ‘Les Escogriffes’ who perform annually at the French Institute of Scotland.
Her creative attention stretches also to classical music, as she enjoys playing the flute, piano and guitar. She thus looks forward to watching whatever the Fringe has to offer, irrespective of genre!
