In Conversation with Graham Norton - Waterloo East Theatre, 11-15 November, 4☆☆☆☆. Review Indigo Cleverly.

Photo Credit: Robert Piwko.

In Conversation with Graham Norton - Waterloo East Theatre, 11-15 November,

4☆☆☆☆. Review Indigo Cleverly.

“Poignant, raw and honest.”

With no friends at school, parents who don’t understand him and a twin sister who lives to provoke him, 15-year-old Mark has nobody to turn to about his anxieties about sex, sexuality, life at school and other difficult aspects of growing up.

Nobody, apart from Graham Norton - in the form of a photograph of Graham placed on a chair opposite Mark’s bed. Graham is easy to talk to, he makes his guests feel warm and accepted, he doesn’t judge anyone.

Covering prominent themes - such as the harmful influence of social media, bullying and struggles with identity - Mark takes us on his journey of personal discovery and acceptance as he confides in ‘Graham’. What starts out as a witty reflection on sexual desires and the awkwardness of growing up, evolves into a darker, more tragic tale - but one in which the audience are a part of.

Jamie Kaye does a brilliant job of captivating the audience, as he commands the stage alone for 60 minutes, reciting amusing anecdotes of his first crush, awkward conversations with his dad about sex and an unfortunate incident involving his cat…

Jamie Kaye portrays Mark with delicacy and vulnerability but also moments of deep anger and resentment. Multi-rolling as other members of his family and classmates, Kaye captures the chaos occurring around him and the interactions that contribute to his loneliness and isolation.

In a small theatre where the audience can almost reach out and touch the bedroom set, the audience can’t help but be absorbed by the intimacy of Mark’s confessions, as he shares with us his deepest insecurities, forging an emotional connection. As a result, when Mark begins to delve deeper into the bullying and homophobia he faced at school and psychological impacts, it’s hard not to feel touched and affected.

Poignant, raw and honest, Simon Perrott’s ‘In Conversation with Graham Norton’, is an important play exploring the weight of growing up and acceptance. As well as being a pertinent comment on modern society, the show is peppered with humour, pop culture and good music.

Cast

Jamie Kaye - Mark

Creatives

Writer - Simon Perrott

Director - Gerald Armin

Design - Waterloo East Theatre

Lighting - Jonathon Simpson

Assistant Director - Rufus Kampus

Stage Manager - Jack Firman