Adapted by Oliver Gray

Directed by Jennifer Fletcher

Review by Rose Sarafilovic

The Borrowed Room written by Steven Maxwell and under the direction of Sam Pitcher asks why people leave the communities they grew up in, and what pushed them away. Returning to his hometown after twenty years Ewan (Craig Hunter) sits down with his childhood friend Graham (Sean Connor) for an interview for a column in the local newspaper which Graham is writing, and through this we learn of Ewan’s past and how his home made him feel unwelcome, and eventually caused him to leave, for being gay. Delivered through a combination of sit-down interview and flashbacks to the two character’s childhoods, the show suffers from a case of telling over showing, unfortunate as the flashbacks of Ewan’s childhood, and the exclusion and abuses that caused him to leave, are easily the strongest parts of the show.

Both actors give heartfelt and well-considered performances, Hunter displays the pain felt by Ewan having to relive his worst moments with nuance while also lending a surprising gentleness to the character, while Connor gives an almost brash counterpart as Graham who shows genuine contrition as he is forced to acknowledge the role he played in his friend’s social ostracisation. A principal issues arises though, as the performers feel like they would be better suited in the other’s role; their phsyicallity often leads to Hunter shrinking himself, and Connor struggling to be as imposing as the role, at points, demands.

The lighting of the play, designed by Cal Hind, is minimal due to the limitations of the venue, but served well to illustrate changes in time and place for the flashbacks. Alongside this was an everpresent ticking of a clock which acted as a constant reminder of the limited time the two characters had together and of the changes of time and place, this does feel a bit too on-the-nose in certain moments when its volume was increased in an attempt to punctuate the emotion or change to a flashback.

The Borrowed Room is a touching piece about community and institutional expressions of homophobia and the effects it has on queer youth as they grow into queer adults. However, it is a work in progress, and worth noting that it feels lacking in elements, such as its over-expository dialogue at the beginning, metaphors and images that don’t carry as much significance as they should, and a particularly jarring use of the word “faggot”, not from the shock of its use, but because it felt like both like a tonal acceleration in the moment, and inconsistent with the rural setting where a regional slur may have been more appropriate.

Right now, the play sits on a fence between dramatic and post-dramatic theatre, not fully committing to using the interview as a framing device for the action of the flashbacks, nor abandoning the flashbacks altogether and having the characters discuss the lingering effects of pivotal moments of their lives which aren’t shown. But it stands out for its heartfelt performances and its clear-eyed commitment to exploring how homophobia shapes — and scars — queer lives. While still a work in progress, its emotional core, strong acting and thoughtful design choices mark it as a promising and meaningful piece of contemporary queer theatre.

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