I’m not sure what I expected from the
4th installment of the Legacy Project, playing now at the Q Theatre.
I’d not been to the previous incarnations of the show and wasn’t
sure of the standard or calibre of the work being produced. I came
away really impressed. The Legacy Project has produced some excellent
and inspired work from vibrant LGBTIA artists.
The show is comprised of six short plays written and directed by an eclectic mix of queer artists. What struck me about was its commitment to showcasing the diversity within the LGBTIA community. In Legacy, the L and G aren’t privileged and overrepresented in the narratives. Legacy instead showcased the stories of the often-forgotten and erased. From the lamentations of the asexual aromantic to the complexities and frustrations of dating as a bisexual person, Legacy has something for every queer of every stripe.
The first play, First Love,
was written by Aatir Zaidi and directed by Kat Glass. It features
Ravi Gurunathan as the besotted Rehān, and Agustya Chandra as Umair,
the object of his affection. The play is a sweet exploration of first
love with a twist. Rehān is in love with the ostensibly straight
Umair, and the question of whether Umair might return Rehān’s love
drives the play. Rehān’s theatrical poetic demeanor is engaging,
even moreso contrasted with the simple and laidback nature of Umair.
The minimalist lighting and backdrop is gorgeous and really stood out
from the other plays.
The second play, Coming Out Night,
was written by Ryan McKee and directed by Adam Rohe, featuring Hong
Jian as Grace’s dad, Kyrus Watson as Jake, Phillip Good as Harry,
Sam Wilson as Grace and Sharon Robinson as Jake’s mum. It tells the story of best friends Jake and Grace trying to
come out to their respective parents. Jake is a trans man and Grace
an asexual aromantic. Both attempt to tell their parents and both
parents assume what they’re trying to say is that they are lesbians
and in a relationship. The play was to my mind the funniest of the
lot but that might be because I’m a sucker for “pin the plaid on
the lesbian” gags. Sharon Robinson really stood out, and was
delightfully hilarious as Jake’s clueless mum. I was impressed by
the comedic writing and timing of the play. It reminded me of a Friends episode (in a good way, I shamelessly still enjoy Friends.)
The third play, Eternity, written
by David Blakey and directed by Ryan Thornhill, featuring David
Butler as Henry and Mike Howell as Andrew, was possibly the most
subversive play. It’s a snapshot of a young sex worker Henry and
his older lover Andrew having their usual lunch together and
discussing their future. This play was interesting and compelling,
and it was good to see sex workers being portrayed in a positive
light. David Butler did well as the young Henry, though I wasn’t
quite convinced of the central love story. Still, the dialogue was
well-written and I appreciated the unconventional tale of romance.
The fourth play, Callum In The Aftermath, written by
Prior Mcrae, directed by Cole Meyers and featuring Rhi Munro as the
Nurse, Jo Clark as Tracey and Prior Mcrae as Callum.
This play
manages to explore a lot of themes in its short story. Parental
alienation, gender and sexuality, body image and disordered eating is
all thrust into the limelight in this piece.
The play felt deeply
personal yet simultaneously relatable - an impressive feat. While the
topics were dark, moments of humour punctured the heavier moments,
giving the play some lightness.
Possibly my favourite moment of
the night was when Callum dramatically cried “Who would want to have sex with me!” and my date for the night replied loud enough
for everyone to hear “Uh, I would”. Mcrae, having written the play
as well as performed in it, perfectly played the tortured yet
hilariously sarcastic Callum.
The fifth play, Daddy Issues,
was written by Pedro Diegues, directed by Jake Love, featuring Joe
Nathan as Pete, Steve Ciprian as Simon and Steven Glyde as Ray. This
play explores the relationship dilemmas of the modern gay man. The
question of whether to assimilate into heterosexual relationship
norms or carve your own path is a question that has raged within the lgbtqia community since the marriage equality movement. 2.5 children,
a wedding band and a white picket fence - is that what “equality”
means? Daddy Issues asks that question. I enjoyed the generational
interplay between Ray and Simon. It was impressive that while the
characters were fleshed out as people, they also represented
different facets and ideas within the lgbtqia community.
The final play, Two Lovers Sit On A Park Bench Holding Hands In The Moonlight, written by
Hannah Owen Wright and directed by Racheal Longshaw-Park, featuring
Ben Black as Him and Maya Wyatt as Her, delved into what it is like
to date men as a bisexual/queer woman. This one resonated with me in
many ways, I suppose it was the most personal one for me, as someone
who dabbles with dating men on occasion. Ben Black was great as the
dumbfounded, confused and slightly simple Him, especially in
juxtaposition to Maya Wyatt’s electric and passionate poetics.
All in all, a dazzling display of local talent. Highly
recommend a trip to the Q Theatre to see the Legacy Project 4.
Tickets available here.