Gaybies

This piece was first conceived (pardon the pun) for Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival in 2013 and performed as a moved reading to rave reviews. Not unlike The Vagina Monologues in tone, the text was similarly derived from a multitude of interviews with children (aged 4-40) of same-sexed couples. To emphasise the authenticity of the dialogue, the cast maintain a book-in-hand prop throughout.  This updated version also includes reactions to the landmark political events of the past year.

Given that the nightmare of the same sex marriage plebiscite is a thing of the past, one can almost sit comfortably in complacency and vindication of that landslide decision and subsequent change in legislation and almost forget that the toxic debate had ever happened. But a few monologues in, and emotions bubble to the surface.

These are the true stories of innocent victims of ignorance and intolerance. And it’s a wordy piece indeed, but there’s enough light and shade and laugh out loud moments to break the tension.

Josh Maxwell, himself a ‘gayby’ (a rather notorious one at that - his open letter to the PM going viral on social media last year) assembled a talented and diverse-aged cast of 12 to breathe life and into these stories and endow them with a charm all their own. There’s a palpable bond between cast mates which warmed this cavernous but intimate space on a cold winter night.

The war for marriage equality might be over in this country, but this reviewer was brought to tears by the end as the events of December 7, 2017 were brought into the present. I’ll never forget where I was that day. And while this play reminds us we’ve come a long way, it also reminds us (embarrassingly) that it all took too damn long. 

Rose Cooper