TO BE STRAIGHT WITH YOU. To 28 June (current GB tour).
Tour.
TO BE STRAIGHT WITH YOU
conceived by Lloyd Newson.
DV8 tour to 28 June 2008.
Runs 1hr 20min No interval.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 1 May at Oxford Playhouse.
Vivacious exploration of a sobering subject.
85 people contributed to the script of DV8’ current show. Their testimonies exemplify the jagged edge between religion and sexuality. From Christians who believe prayer can ‘cure’ same-sex orientation, to Sharia law that executes homosexuals, via the Afro-Caribbean beat that advocates violence and death for anyone who’s gay, the piece is an amalgam of fears and hate.
There’s only one scene of overt violence, but threat lurks continually under the surface. Voices repeatedly tell of coming to Britain so they can at least express their feelings without fear of imprisonment and death. Yet an opening assault-course of homophobic hate leaves no doubt there’s no safe place for most of the people heard here.
This single-subject show gains theatrical force from the variety of means employed to make points in varying ways. Early scenes are played behind a gauze, giving a sense of separation to voices and figures, and allowing the lyrics of hate-music to be flashed with sudden brevity on the screen.
Personal histories, spoken live or pre-recorded, are accompanied by solo or group movement, especially of the legs, A seated group turn a Christian account of attempts to ‘straighten’ sexuality into a barn-dance. An amazing display of skipping accompanies an account of repression within the family – freedom of movement in front of us counterpointing lack of liberty at home.
The piece visits the irony that groups who are themselves minorities which have faced intolerance in Britain, are among those most ferocious and vociferous in persecuting people for their sexuality. Though it never explores why there should be such intensity of hatred, rather than merely disapproval or disagreement, on the matter of sexuality, To Be Straight With You is a vivid, varied and theatrically-energised kaleidoscope of life-histories.
What might have been dry, dreary or overly self-pleading as a mere accumulation of words, acquires through DV8’s physical skills an energy that gives a sense of each of its contributory accounts as an individual life, with its own vitality, and so a sense of something threatened yet often still hopeful as the serious verbal content mixes with expressions of physical vitality.
Performers: Ankur Bahl, Dan Canham, Seke Chimutengwende, Ermira Goro, Hannes Langwolf, Coral Messam, Paradigmz, Rafael Pardillo, Ira Mandela Siobhan.
Director: Lloyd Newson.
Designer: Uri Omi.
Lighting: Beky Stoddart.
Sound: John Avery, Adam Hooper.
Music: John Avery.
Video: Kit Monkman, Tom Wexler.
Choreography: Lloyd Newson with the performers.
2008-05-05 17:12:41