You've Gone Quiet by Cerys Duffy, The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London SE4 | until 06. June ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

Photo credit: Paul Macauley

You've Gone Quiet

by Cerys Duffy

The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London SE4 | until 06. June        

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

“Stimulating, well performed and hugely entertaining.”

Fine performances by the entire cast Cerys Duffy's play immaculately directed by Andy McLeod is about the world of Trans people. Duffy has a lot to say, and has crafted a fascinating tale which, not being part of that world and knowing nobody who is, was illuminating to say the least. Tara wants a baby. Her husband Ian, who is older than she is, cannot do the necessary job so she turns to her friend Beth, a Trans who has not completed the change – in other words Beth has a penis and can provide the sperm for Tara to use with the aid of a certain legendary kitchen appliance. After that it gets very complicated. Most of the first act – the play runs including an interval for two hours – we neither hear nor see Beth as the characters, Tara, Samantha, a Trans journalist, Ian, Rory, who loves Beth but insists he is not gay and his randy brother Gaz talk to Beth, squabble among themselves and do quite a lot of mobile phone consulting. Part of the problem is that Tara and Beth wrote about what they had done in a Trans publication and Samantha, who is a journalist, is intent on writing more stories about them. And once social media gets hold of you it never let’s go. In Act Two the baby has arrived, Ian has taken it to his heart, Tara discovers that it looks like its “father” which kind of makes it someone else's baby, and Beth appears and also discovers maternal feelings. At least that is what I think took place because it all moves at speed, the various characters' behaviour does at times seem perverse - especially Rory who really needs to make up his mind what he wants to be instead of throwing tantrums when people make the wrong assumptions. Samantha, no one dare call her Sam, is nowhere as nice as she seems and just what Gaz is up to, I could never quite work out. Some see it as an important play. Well so be it. At least I learned things I did not know about the sexual practices of some of the characters in the world of the Trans, which is no bad thing in the world of today. The play is episodic and oddly structured, but the evening's strengths rest on the fact that a first-rate cast has been assembled and the skill with which Andy McLeod has kept the piece moving at pace. On a simple set of a few white screens there are some chairs and a table which get endlessly moved around by the cast as the confrontations change. It could have been fussy, messy and downright irritating, but actually it works so smoothly it holds the attention – you have something to look at as well as people to listen to. The play has serious things to say about the problems of Trans people but equally some very funny things to say at the same time. It does not preach. It entertains, stimulates and informs. It also deserves being staged in other theatres in other towns.

Cast

Gennifer Becouara – Tara

Matt Vickery – Rory

Oliver Redpath – Gaz

Sophia Vi – Samantha

Matt Roberts – Ian

Shane Convery – Beth

Creatives

Director – Andy McLeod

Intimacy Director – Natalie Grover

Technical Director – Katy Matthews

Dramaturg – Susanna Wollf & Allison Heiz

Trans Consultant – Dr Jack Davies

Consultant Psychotherapist – Paul Macaulay