Show: Young Homotopia: We’re Queer For It
Location: Unity Theatre, Liverpool
Date: Saturday July 24 2021
Time: 17.00
Running Time: 45 Minutes
Age Rating: 12+
Production Company: Homotopia
This is our theatre review for Young Homotopia: We’re Queer For It at Liverpool‘s Unity Theatre. So, let’s take a look at Young Homotopia: We’re Queer For It!
Young Homotopia: We’re Queer For It
Synopsis
This show focuses on one person’s quandary about attending Pride. In their mind, there are pros and cons to attending the annual celebration of LGBTQ+ life. And they note their general indecisiveness and overthinking of these things. Yet they still weigh up whether or not they should go to Pride for the first time. Amidst this, we meet the other ten performers, each of whom portrays several characters in different scenarios. Some of these focus on providing a serious message, though not to an extent that would be potentially upsetting. However, others are purely about generating laughs, either through elaborate dance routines or some clever one-liners.
In the meantime, each of the performers details their flaws at the beginning before focusing on positives at the end. Furthermore, a Rubik’s Cube features as a metaphor for the endless struggle that each of the characters experiences in daily life. But one thing stands out more than anything: each of the eleven people is proud to be gay. And that comes out in the closing musical number I’m Glad I’m Not Straight. By this point, our leading character makes their decision on attending Pride, and their choice is the right one.
Analysis
Over the course of 45 minutes, this show explores LGBTQ+ life in a roundabout manner. By that, I mean that they point out, or poke fun at, typical stereotypes in a humorous and thought-provoking manner. For instance, we get a “coming-out” scene, with one character revealing to their gay parents that, actually, they’re straight. This moment would draw big laughs, especially when their parents take them to a gay priest for help. There’s also an amusing yet clever play on a talk show, with the title being Queer Type. In this part, we, the audience, have to guess a person’s sexuality or gender identity using visual clues and host statements. Yet the truth is often the opposite, hence us realising that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.
Along the way, we hear about the justification for Pride as a whole. And our leading character explains that there are so many ways to embrace being queer. You could be loud and shout it from the rooftops. Or you could be quiet and keep your opinions to yourself. But you can still be proud of being queer nonetheless. And it’s a strong message because everybody has their own way of expressing their messages. So, it’s reassuring for those who wish to reserve their feelings that they can still celebrate queer life. Not to mention that Pride itself is one extensive event, whereas LGBTQ+ life lasts for every day of the year. So, be proud of being queer every single day rather than just for a brief period. It’s a message for us to keep in mind, especially once the Pride festivities for 2021 conclude.
Summary
This is a refreshing, upbeat and humorous snapshot of what LGBTQ+ life can be like. But it wisely takes a largely positive approach; the key message is that being queer is something to celebrate. And that shines through from start to finish during this show.
Notes
Target Audience: 12+
Content: Infrequent Moderate Language
Recommendation?: Yes
Overall Rating: 8/10 – Very Good
Young Homotopia: We’re Queer For It Further Link
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