Ben Stuart is on the Run with first love - Midsumma Festival interview

What does it mean to love? Ultimately, we all have our own meanings, but in Stephen Laughton's one-man play, Run, this question is explored by Yonni, a 17 year old gay Jewish boy. Over the course of a summer, Yonni's infatuation for schoolmate Adam reaches breaking point where the real and the imaginary blur together as he begins to understand love, desire, grief and loss. The play has received critical acclaim since its debut in England and next year it makes its Australia debut as part of Midsumma Festival.

In the Melbourne production, Ben Stuart takes on the role of Yonni, and it was love at first read for Stuart when he got his hands and eyes on the script. "I fell in love with it as soon as I read it! When Gavin Roach (producer/director) gave the script to me, I remember getting completely lost in it. I've always been drawn to powerful stories and strong emotions, and Run has both (and much more!)," he tells me. "I related to many parts of Yonni's story, and I think many people will for a variety of reasons. Yonni re-lives numerous universal moments in this coming-of-age story, such as his first kiss, and those late-night text conversations, and it's easy to relate to in all those moments because I've been there and many others will have too!"

The Campaign - Midsumma Festival review

It's difficult to fathom that up until 1997, being gay in Tasmania could land someone in jail for a longer term than a rapist or an armed robber. Written by Campion Decent, The Campaign covers a nine-year period during which the Tasmanian gay community battled against the Government in order to be allowed to live their lives free of persecution for no other reason than loving someone of the same sex. 

In 1988, the Tasmanian Gay Law Reform Group defied a ban at Salamanca Market that prevented them from having a stall on decriminalising sexual activity between consenting adults. This resulted in over 100 arrests and consequently led to the final push to change the Tasmanian law. Based on personal testimonies, parliamentary transcripts, media reports and archival sources from the people involved, Decent presents a script that is factual and accurate but not stuck in simply retelling the events. In 90 minutes, he finds the most relevant and pivotal moments of this crusade while giving distinctive voices to those we are introduced to, including LGBTQ rights activists Rodney Croome and Nick Toonen and politician Christine Milne, and allowing their personalities to come through.

The Campaign - Midsumma Festival preview

Australia may have recently celebrated two years since marriage between same-sex couples became legal in this country, but it's important to remember the struggle faced by the LGBTQ community to get there, and this fight goes way back further than 2017. Roughly 30 years ago, being gay was considered a crime in Tasmania and it wasn't until the Tasmanian Gay Law Reform Group defied a ban on a stall to decriminalise sexual activity between consenting adults that progress began. Presented as part of the Midsumma Festival, Campion Decent's The Campaign traces the events from that day, where over 100 people were arrested, and the changes this group brought. 

Decent spending considerable time researching and interviewing figures who were involved with the gay law reform and writing the play, which had its first performance in 2018. "I was approached with the idea at the beginning of 2016 by the director Matt Scholten who operates If Theatre, and we spent the next two and a half years developing it and building partnerships. We were hoping to premiere the work in October 2018 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the first arrests at Salamanca Market and with the assistance of Playwriting Australia, Tasmanian Theatre Company, Blue Cow Theatre and Salamanca Arts Centre – and the blessing from key stakeholders – this became a reality," he says.

Become The One - Midsumma Festival review

The writer's notes in the program for Become The One tell us that in 2018, there were over 790 players on club lists in the AFL. Of those 790 there were no players who identified as anything other than heterosexual. While this is possible, it is highly unlikely, and in Adam Fawcett's new play, a high profile AFL player struggles to keep his relationship with a man out of the news for fear of ruining his career.

Chris Asimos (Tom) and Henry Strand (Noah) share great chemistry on stage, with both of them comfortable in their characters and in their more intimate scenes together. As time moves forward in the play, so too does the familiarity and affection the two have for each other develop. Fawcett's sharp and witty dialogue between them shows two people who are in love and devoted to one another but ultimately trapped by their circusmstances. Homosexuality, masculinity and sports are openly explored and rather than giving simple solutions to these issues, the script veers towards a more realistic and complex resolution.

Dis-Connected review

In Dis-Connected, physical performer Hyperion Nyx explores the difficulties of being true to yourself when you are constantly faced with barriers preventing you from being able to be free with who you really are. 

The sound design is highly evocative in this production highlighting both the loneliness and isolation that Hyperion Nyx feels along with the confusion and conflicting thoughts they are experiencing. The sound remains a constant strength in a show that otherwise uses too many devices to tell this story that unfortunately never seem to support each other. The projections on the back curtain are too dark to clearly see and are only briefly used at the beginning of the show with no clear purpose. Halfway through the piece, we hear a pre-recorded voice that comes across as too detached and emotionless that is contrast to the thoughts that being share with the audience.

Twink Ascending - Melbourne Fringe Festival review

The modern gay man. Who is he? In his Melbourne Fringe Festival show, Twink Ascending, writer and performer Andy Johnston goes on a mission to uncover what it means to be a gay man today. Through a variety of theatrical styles, Johnston shines a light on issues such as body image, relationships, sex, and of course, dick pics.

The set and costume design by Dann Barber add a camp sci-fi dance floor aesthetic to the performance, which fits in nicely with the opening moments of the show. Curled up on the floor in the foetal position, Johnston is eventually born into a queer world and bombarded with catchphrases and comments you would come across on online dating apps.

Twink Ascending - Melbourne Fringe Festival preview

Bears, otters, pups, cubs, wolves, daddies, jocks, twunks and twinks. These are just a few terms to describe the type of gay men in the world. It's enough to cause a lot of confusion and uncertainty as to where exactly you fit in. Presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Andy Johnston is taking a look at what it means to be a gay man in the modern world with his solo show Twink Ascending. Told through cabaret, drag, physical theatre, spoken word, dance and song, this experimental piece is unapologetic in its exploration of what it’s like to be a queer man in this day and age, which is something that even Johnston himself continues to question.

"I don’t think I know the answer to this and that’s why I made this show, to find out who he is. But I do think every modern gay man shares the desire to be seen and heard and therefore respected and accepted. Standing in the way of that desire is a real pressure to blend in to the traditional ideals of a heteronormative, masculine lifestyle," he says. "I feel that every day coming from the media, the government, social media and even guys I date! I’ve chosen not to give in to that, and I’m seeing others making that decision more and more. It is an exciting wave of queer pride and courage to witness. So I guess I have a theory that the modern gay man is someone who is dipping his/her/their toe into the fluidity of change and I’m excited to see what happens when we all jump in."

Bare review

Stage Art thrive on putting on musical theatre productions that are rarely seen. For their second outing of 2018, the company has brought to the stage Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere's Bare, a 2000 off-Broadway show focusing on the lives of a group of students at a Catholic boarding school on the cusp of adulthood. While there are a few themes that are tackled, the story predominantly follows two boys who struggle to come to terms with their burgeoning relationship and the implications this could have on their futures.

Finn Alexander delivers a charismatic and winning performance as the most popular boy in school, Jason. While outwardly he is confident and self-assured, Alexander expresses the doubts, anxieties and fears that reside inside Jason through consistent and effective body language and facial expressions. Adam Di Martino as Peter finds the emotional depth of his character and the audience is able to sympathise with him in his longing for a happy ending. The chemistry between Alexander and Di Martino is undeniable as they explore the excitement and fear of new love.

Strangers in Between - Midsumma Festival review

There's nothing more important than family, let that be the family you are given or the family you make. In Tommy Murphy's Strangers In Between, a young man dealing with his sexuality escapes from his small city of Gouldburn to Sydney's Kings Cross in order to find himself, but in the process ends up finding a family to support and guide him. While this production was first staged in Sydney in 2005, and there are elements of it that are still relevant to today's society, its place in 2018 is difficult to pinpoint.

Murphy's script shoots out genuinely funny gags and witty one-liners like rapid-fire, but in return we rarely spend any time getting to know the supporting characters that are far more of interest than the protagonist. This might be Shane's story, a young, white male coming to terms with his homosexuality, but in 2018 his story is nothing we haven't heard before and so audience engagement wanes. Shane's naivety also begins to wear thin very quickly, particularly with the inconsistencies of his character where he is able to find a job and get his own one-bedroom apartment but then has no idea what his medicare number is or how to even get one.

Oscar Wilde's De Profundis - Midsumma Festival review

When most people think of Oscar Wilde, the first thought that comes to mind is one of comedy and laughs, most notably due to his plays An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest. However, in 1895, while incarcerated and forced into hard prison labour for gross indecency, Wilde spent two years virtually deprived of any comfort and affection, and perhaps most importantly for him, books and writing. It was during this time that he penned a love letter to Lord Alfred Douglas, who was his lover at the time of his conviction, and also his betrayer. Presented as part of Midsumma Festival, De Profundis (From the Depths) is a darker, more distressing side to Wilde that is rarely heard of, and is a poignant look at forgiveness and acceptance.

Top 10 Shows of 2017

Another year of some unforgettable theatre and live performances comes to an end, and what a year it has been, managing to get to a respectable 200 shows. Not quite sure how I stayed sane in doing that, but there you go. 
Naturally I kept a list of all the shows I saw and below I present my top ten of 2017. If I reviewed the show then a link to the review is also provided.
2018 is shaping out to be the time of innovative and exciting theatre, so make sure you go and see some of it. While it's nice to make a night out of seeing some big name performers and shows, remember to also support your independent theatre makers and venues where some shows can cost you as little as $15 per person.

Here is my list:

1. Angels In America
- review

Grant Cartwright and Dushan Philips. Photo Credit: Sarah Walker

What an epic seven-hour production this show was. Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize winning work, Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes was performed at fortyfivedownstairs under Gary Abrahams' brilliant direction.
Abrahams brings together a remarkably talented ensemble of actors to tell this story, which despite being set in the American 80s still has extreme relevance and prevalence today regarding social stigma of homosexuality and AIDS.
Some of the strongest performances of the year were present here including those from Simon Cornfield, Grant Cartwright, Emily Goddard, Helen Morse and Dushan Philips, with the evocative sound and lighting providing greater insight into the minds and thoughts of the various characters.
Also, can't not mention how amazing that wooden four-poster bed was by how it was utilised and what it represented during the show. If there were an award for best use of a single prop, this would be the winner.
Put simply, Angels In America was gripping, powerful and affecting theatre at its best.

Angels In America review

If you're going to stage the critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winning work, Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, you'd better hope that your vision will do the play justice. Fortunately, this stunning production presented by Cameron Lukey and directed by Gary Abrahams will leave audiences completely absorbed in this breathtaking seven hour epic show.

Written by American playwright Tony Kushner, Angels in America is set in two parts, entitled Millenium Approaches and Perestroika. The story isn't the most straightforward to describe, taking place in a world somewhere between reality, dreams and hallucinations and includes interaction between humans, angels and ghosts, but it's near impossible to not become invested in this examination of AIDS and homosexuality in America during the 1980s as we predominantly follow the relationship between two gay men in New York, Louis Ironson and Prior Walter, and the various people who intersect their lives.

Angels in America has such complexity in its structure with quick emotion-charged scene (and world) changes, and with actors often playing numerous characters, but Abrahams pulls it off fabulously. He has achieved absolute perfection in his casting of such a formidable group of actors, leading to some of the strongest performances I have seen all year.

Next Fall review

Being in love is never easy. Geoffrey Naufft's Next Fall tells the story of Adam and Luke, a gay couple who begin a relationship spanning five years before tragedy strikes when Luke is hit by a car. Opening with Luke's friends, family and Adam gathering at a hospital waiting room to hear news on his outcome, the story flashes back to various moments in the lives of Adam and Luke and those closest to them.

Each flashback builds on 40 year old Adam's (Darrin Redgate) frustration with where his life is heading, and Luke's (Mark Davis) attempts to reconcile his sexuality with his Christian faith. Redgate does a capable job as the neurotic candle-seller who seems to subconsciously be attempting to self-sabotage his chances at ever finding happiness, even when it's staring at him right in the face. Davis evokes a naive self-assuredness in Luke with regards to his dogmatic beliefs but he is also able to bring out a warmth and kindness to him as his relationship with Adam grow.

Blood on the Dance Floor review

At the age of 24, Jacob Boehme, a descendant of the Narangga and Kaurna nations of South Australia, was diagnosed with HIV in 1998. As a Blak, gay and poz person, a sense of community and belonging can be difficult to attain. Through his own journey to find his identity, as an individual and a collective, Boehme, along with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, devised the dance performance piece, Blood on the Dance Floor. 

The overall focus with this show is Boehme's anxiety in letting potential partners know of his HIV status, and while his bloodline with his father and ancestors has the power to unite and bond, this same blood has the potential to divide and alienate him from being loved. One of the most powerful moments of Blood on the Dance Floor occurs with Boehme standing on stage staring into the audience as audio recordings are played of mens' various responses to his HIV status. It is confronting and hearbreaking.

Uncovered - Midsumma Festival review

After Dark Theatre's Uncovered would have to be one of the sexiest circus shows I have ever seen, and with its overt intent on exploring homosexuality, love and sex, it isn’t surprising. Director and performer, Dave Coombs, has brought together recent graduates or current students of the National Institute of Circus Arts, and through a number of circus acts, explores the idea of “the first”, including the first encounter with a man and the first kiss.

The performers - Emily Gare, Alex Jeans, Mark Graham, Nelson Smyles and Coombs - are all committed and enthusiastic and for where they currently stand in their experience, deliver some impressive feats. Jeans' silks routine and his subsequent double aerial hoop act with Graham are strong highlights of the evening. The latter in particular, successfully displayed their talents with their seamlessly moving bodies, and paired with the music, permitted the audience to recall their own similar experiences while appreciating what was occurring on stage.  

Elegy - Midsumma Festival preview

Based on interviews with gay refugees, Elegy is an emotionally powerful story of a young gay Iraqi man fleeing from persecution in search of a better life. Presented by independent theatre company Lab Kelpie, Elegy is a Midusmma Festival premiere event that should be on everyone's 'must see' list. The play, inspired by first-person accounts by photo-journalist Bradley Secker is paired with an exhibition by Secker of said photos, which allows the audience to build on what we are seeing on stage and create a greater sense of authenticity and honesty. 

"There was such an immense sense of emotion I felt after reading the story. I still have difficulty reading the script at times," co-producer Adam Fawcett says. "This story grabs you by the heartstrings with its capacity to explore love against the harsh reality of life in the Middle East for LGBTI people. The fact that it is based on real people made it all the more powerful for me. As soon as we both finished reading it, we knew we wanted to produce it."

Dan Savage and his "savage advice"

I happened to catch Dan Savage in Sydney give a talk as part of The Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Entitled "Savage Advice" he discussed the idea that infidelity is not the end of the world in the reality of long-term relationships and referred to his own "monogamish" relationship with his husband and how it can work for some people.

Savage informed us that 40-60% of men and 40-50% of women will cheat on their partners and as we invest so much time into relationships we should not walk away from them because of the occasional slip up. I could not disagree more. If you are going to commit to someone, you commit to someone. You don't commit to them part time. Firstly, creating a cute term like "monogamish" will not lessen the impact of what has occurred and I will not and can not accept "monogamish" into my life. Secondly, you either are monogamous or you're not. Just like you either are vegetarian, sexist or racist or not. No one is vegetarianish or sexistish or racistish.

Am I a Bad Gay?

I often joke to my friends that one day, my license will be revoked; my license to be gay. I know a lot of people who will read this and disagree with me and that's fine, but from my experiences this is how I see the gay community as a whole, based on my experiences. I've been a practising homosexual for a decade and I still feel no closer to the gay community than those days when I would borrow my next door neighbour's Dolly magazines to read but secretly lust after the shirtless nameless models in their pages.

There are a number of reasons why I feel I am a bad gay; the main one being I hate gay clubs. The clubs I have been to are generally a cruising ground for sex. Not that straight clubs aren't but in the gay ones, sexual advances are extremely direct and confronting (and at times, close to sexual assault). Two examples that come to mind; I was in the toilets of one club when a guy walked up to me and asked 'can I suck your dick' while I was literally standing at the urinal. Another time, a customer I had served when I worked in retail recognised me out and as he walked past me, grabbed my penis and smiled at me. I didn't appreciate that but yet if I was to create a scene about these moments, I would be looked at as making a big deal over nothing. The themed nights that various clubs have such as 'foam parties' implicitly condone such behaviour.

Continuing on with the overly sexualisation in the gay community, the amount of times I have started talking to - and even dated - guys and then find out they are in open relationships is unbelievable. I was at the Peel about six months ago and this guy approached me. We chatted for a while and had a bit of a snog (yes I said snog, deal with it) and then I returned to my mates. As I was leaving, I went back to him, chatted a bit more, exchanged numbers and I headed home (that's the PG version anyway). We spent the weekend texting back and forth and organising to go out that following Thursday until he sent me a text on the Monday saying "hey, I really like you but I think you should know I already have a boyfriend but I still want to see you". Delete. I'm not judging anyone that is in an open relationship (even though I don't get it) but it's treated like such a casual, normal thing to mention to someone, to the point where I was told by a friend that I should have asked him if he had a boyfriend! I'm no prude and I like to think I've had my fair share of escapades (yes, at times I have used Grindr to fulfil these needs) but in a gay environment, I feel sexual inhibitions disappear and anything is deemed acceptable which does not sit well with me.

There is a strong sense of competition between gay men. Much more than what I witness and hear about amongst my straight male friends. There's this feeling of having to be better than and superior to each other. Walk down Chapel St and you can feel the eyes burning through you, looking you up and down, judging what you're wearing, how your hair looks and who good your body is. We're so hell bent on creating a gay community yet we create these divides that are anything but positive. Why would anyone want to be part of that?

I'm also not a participant of gay festivals or events; I've never been to MidSumma, Sydney Mardi Gras and I didn't even go to any Melbourne Queer Film Festival screenings. I feel no connection or openess to any of these. A new magazine "about men who date men" called Hello Mr. was released recently, which has intelligent and well thought out articles written by gay men from around the world. Whilst it was far superior to the semi-pornographic DNA-esque magazines that are around at the moment, I still was not won over. There were only three articles I genuinely enjoyed and was moved by but the rest of it felt preachy and at times, quite pretentious - further enhancing 'competition' within the gay community.

It is for these reason why I guess I don't have a lot of gay friends, which I am fine with, as choosing your friends based on sexual preference is just as ridiculous as choosing your friends based on sex. My friends are awesome and never have I ever been made to feel uncomfortable about who I am, directly or indirectly but I've also reached the stage now - having just turned thirty five months ago - where what I would really like is a relationship. Having turned my back on so many gay avenues, what else is left? Where do people who don't fit the gay community mould go? I keep thinking that I will meet the perfect guy when I am at a cool little cafe in Fitzroy or at a comedy gig I may be at and I don't need to go to the Greyhound or join a gay sports team to meet him.

So...am I a bad gay?