SECOND CLASS QUEER
Kumar Muniandy’s one person drama is anything but second class, it goes beyond first class, executive class, and any definition of class. Why? You may well ask. Fringe theatre is an amazing breeding ground for new talent. We see some great theatre, great writing, directing, performances… the experience can be exciting and seeing new talent emerge is heartening, theatre has a future in the hands of some people and companies.
Once in a while you see something that takes your breath away, something so perfectly formed and delivered that you would happily see it again and again. It doesn’t happen often enough, there is some pretty tatty stuff out there for sure, but not this one.
This is the story of a man who is haunted, depressed and disillusioned. It starts with the gentle vision of a man dancing, gentle and feminine, shades of classical and Bollywood, their physical presence is mesmeric… then we are plunged into an act of violence so shocking, partly described in graphic presentations and mostly by that gruelling lurch from elegant dance to physical pain. The opening sequence sets the scene for what follows, the story of a gay man who is carrying the weight of racism, homophobia and, eventually we learn, guilt. He is a man out of place, out of time and out of work, a man searching for a bearable truth and future.
And Krishnan wants to find someone who is at least understanding, balanced and hopefully nice.
Muniandy performs the whole with the use of well designed projections and beautifully delivered voices off. The timing is complex for sure but delivered with precision and style and his presence in the role is superbly real, real with a capital R! It’s a performance that teeters on the edge of hope and despair, the edge of anger and even aggression before shifting back to uncomfortable resignation.
And in the characters that he meets we surely recognise the traits that we have encountered or sadly manifested in our own lives. Few of us are without guilt, let he who is without guilt cast the first stone and all that.
Second Class Queer made my laugh, yes there is gentle humour, and cry. It made me feel guilt and shame, it made me feel uncomfortable and then proud. It made me want to be a better man and it made me want to see this important piece of theatre be shown to young people and old, worldwide in the hope that the clarity of the message can stir up change in this world which is lurching alarmingly toward the far right and toward renewed terrors for anyone who identifies as being queer.
If you miss this in Brighton the catch it at
Camden Fringe Festival – Theatro Technis on 30th and 31st July at 7pm, and 1st August at 9pm.
And at Edinburgh Fringe Festival – C Venues’ Aquila Studios from 11th to 17th August.
Andrew Kay
8 May
Ironworks Studios
Rating:
