Chesil Theatre, Winchester set the stage for queers curated by Mark Gatiss. Six separate Monologues set during six periods in a historic timeline of laws and events forced upon gay men and women, forcing many to lie about who they were to prevent persecution. Just how far has society changed since 1917?

Missing Alice by Jon Bradfield performed by Katy Watkins allowed an insight into the life led by a woman who married a gay man in the early 1970s. Their friendship and love for each other allowed  Alice to let her husband live a double life and remain together. After having her first child out of wedlock, Alice refers to herself as “damaged goods” and convinces herself that she deserves nothing more from life than the security offered by staying married.

A powerfully sad and heartfelt performance by Watkins. This left me wondering how many more Alices there were at the time and many years beforehand. It can be guaranteed she was not alone.

More Anger by Brian Fillis is set in the 1980s during the time when AIDS struck fear into the gay community and took many men long before their time. Phil (Tom Humphries) is a young actor who has made a career from playing men who are dying from AIDS in hospital. He is careful in his private life so this could never become a reality!

Arthur Wood gave a jovial performance as Andrew in A Grand Day Out by Michael Dennis a young 17-year-old homosexual man who travels to Westminster on the day that the vote takes place to lower the legal age of consensual sex for gay men. Carried away in the moment he joins an “old” 30-year-old man and they spend the night together, where he experiences what it’s like to have loving and gentle “sex” and to feel cared for. At 17 his excited and boyish charm is endearing.

When announced at the end that Wood has been called in at the last minute to perform the role of Andrew. The audience was told he learned his part and had been stage ready in just twelve days. Outstanding achievement.

Tom Humphries, the director uses the bar scene as a base for each monologue. A relaxed environment is used as a confession platform to share their secret lives. Although starting in 1917 and ending in 2022 the staging was poignant in each setting as small details were added and changed to bring it into the desired era. However, the music played in the background played the main role in placing the storyline in history.

Although as a society laws and attitudes have moved forward. The echoes of the past generations who struggled to hide their sexuality and live what had been deemed a “normal” heterosexual life is important to be reminded of. The barbaric laws and strict regulations the “gay” communities had forced upon them by ignorant law makers provokes anger inside me. Nobody should ever be persecuted for simply being true to themselves.

For more information about queers, JT Productions and future production’s at the Chesil Theatre please use the links below.

Four Stars.

Photos were taken from JT Productions Facebook page.

https://www.chesiltheatre.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/JTProducti0ns

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