Con Crowley reviews Out of Water a new play about gender at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond...
OUR VERDICT
My theatre companion was not happy when she returned from a pre-performance loo break at the Orange Tree. “I am rapidly going off this place,” she announced after discovering the toilets had been rendered “gender neutral”.
But political correctness aside, the charming folk tale of life on Tyneside that followed her rude awakening, certainly sheds an interesting light on gender and its fluidity.
Out of Water is a brand new play by Zoe Cooper about a lesbian couple, who move from London to South Shields to be nearer family, the sea and put down roots before having a baby together.
But just like my companion, Claire finds herself outside her comfort zone when she lands a job as head of English and the new “inclusion manager” at the local school in her partner Kit’s home town.
With a backdrop of the flowing tides and crashing waves of the North Sea, she discovers that the world and attitudes she left in the south take on a different dimension amongst Geordies.
And finds she has as much to learn about identity from her pupils as she has to offer them, especially Fish, who swims amongst the rocks, pools and caverns of the coastline and has a very personal take on gender.
“My name Fish. The pronoun that I go by is they.”
Directed by Guy Jones, the play uses just three actors - Lucy Briggs-Owen, Zoe West and Tilda Wickham, who take on the characters of teachers pupils and family members through song, narration and mime to evoke a warm picture of life in the northeast.
But gender is not the only thing this play turns on its head. There’s science, evolution and social engineering to contend with.
At times funny, and at others poetic - it's well worth a shout and if nothing else, will help put perspective on which door to go through the next time you are caught short.
Venue: Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond
Dates: Running until June 1st (No performances Mon 6 & Mon 27 May)
- Mon-Sat eves 7.30pm Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm
- Post-show talks Tue 7 May 7.30pm & Thu 16 May 2.30pm
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