Jon Brittain’s award-winning play is a clever, funny, heart-warming story of love, gender, sexuality and courage.  It is also deeply moving, taking the audience on a rollercoaster of emotions, and I admit – I did shed a tear! 

With the auditorium lights still up, the actors take to the stage, making a real connection with the audience. Europop music pumps out, and the gorgeous, simple set with its paintings of containers, ports and bridges, transports us to an apartment in Rotterdam, Holland.

It’s New Year in Holland, and our story begins with Alice (Rebecca Banatvala) trying to find the courage to tell her parents that she is a lesbian, and living with her girlfriend. Alice, a true analytical introvert, in agony about ‘coming out’, thinks that this complex issue can be best dealt with by email. Fiona, her girlfriend, is very used to Alice’s procrastination, and has a bet with her as to when or whether she will ever tell her parents.

Fiona, played by the fantastic Lucy Jane Parkinson, is the star of the show. When we first meet her, she is lesbian, happily attending her lesbian book club, with funny quips about whether Angelina Jolie is gay or not and taking pride in outing Jodie Foster before anyone else. As a lesbian myself, I identified with so many of the jokes, and the relationship dynamics of this couple. Brittain’s dialogue is wonderful and never patronises the characters or the audience.

As Alice readies herself to send the email, Fiona too has her own revelation – finding the courage to tell Alice she identifies as a man, in fact she thinks she has always been a man trapped in a woman’s body.

As Fiona begins transitioning to Adrian, flaws in the relationship with Alice begin to surface. Alice’s co-worker, Lelani soon steps in and what begins as mere flirtation soon becomes seduction. Stella Taylor is wonderful as Lelani, portraying a very confident, very Dutch, and rather stunning millennial. Alice is, at first, a reluctant participant in the affair, but fireworks ensue with Lelani on the frozen canals of Rotterdam.

The play has only four actors, who through Donnacadh O’Brians’ direction, keep you absolutely captivated throughout. Ellan Parry’s clever stage design – with just two chairs and two coffee tables – manages to take us from Rotterdam apartment, to club, to pub, to station and even to a frozen canal on New Year’s eve.  Richard Williamson’s lighting design adds to the atmosphere, enhancing the neon lights and colours of the set.

The play is a wonderful montage of courage and transition. Courage as Adrian becomes the person he always was, “When I dream… I dream as a man.” And courage eventually for Alice to tell Adrian that she wants to grieve because she feels she has lost Fiona, despite Adrian’s insistence that “I’m not ill. You don’t have to treat me like I’m dying”.

Everyone in the play is going through transition. Lucy Jane Parkinson brilliantly illustrates the challenges a transgender man deals with, from getting angry with a man dressed as a lion when he identifies Adrian as female, to the heart-breaking moment when he exhibits sheer joy when Lelani thinks he is his brother (and a man!), just at the moment Lelani has declared her love to Alice.

Each individual and relationship in Adrian’s life is affected by his actions. Adrian’s brother, Josh can see what is happening, and tries his best to help, but even he cannot stop what happens when the egocentric aspects of Adrian’s transition come to the fore. Paul Heath is wonderful as Josh, a brother who accepts his new brother, and perhaps delivers one of the most beautiful parts of the play in his interactions with Alice.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of Rotterdam and arrived expecting a night of very tense and serious theatre.  What I experienced was a play that deals with the complexity of relationships head-on and does so with glorious wit, humour and wonderful dialogue. Whether you are gay, lesbian, straight, binary or transgender, I defy you not to enjoy this wonderful production.

Rotterdam is at the Opera House, Manchester from 13-15 June 2019. See website for full tour details.

Read our interview with the cast of Rotterdam.

The post Rotterdam, theatre review appeared first on Quays Life.

Jon Brittain’s Rotterdam is a bittersweet comedy about gender, sexuality and being a long way from home.

After successful runs in both London and New York, Donnacadh O’Briain’s Olivier award-winning production is on its first UK tour, arriving at Manchester Opera House on June 13.

Quays Life meets the cast: Lucy Jane Parkinson, Ellie Morris, Elijah W Harris and Bethan Cullinane, to find out more…

Tell us about Rotterdam

Lucy Jane Parkinson: Rotterdam is a play about what impact gender, identity and relationships have on each other. We follow four characters who all work and live in Rotterdam. They have found themselves central to a currently unfolding drama surrounding Alice and her partner of seven years Fiona, who creates quite an explosion when they tell Alice they want to be called Adrian now.

Ellie Morris: It’s about acceptance and understanding the things that make us who we are. It follows Adrian’s journey as he transitions from female to male and how that affects his relationship with his long-term girlfriend, Alice.

Elijah W Harris: It is a lot to do with identity and how one’s identity can grow and shift, and the impact that has on those around us.

Bethan Cullinane: It is a sharp and funny exploration of identity, love and relationships. 

What do you hope the audience will take away from the production?

Ellie Morris: I hope people will feel they have gone on a journey with the characters and perhaps learn about something they may not have known about before – for me that’s always a great reason to go to the theatre.

Elijah W Harris: Well I hope they enjoy it! Jon Brittain’s writing is very nuanced but has an everyday feel to it, which makes it so easy to see yourself in the characters and their words, whatever the subject matter. It has definitely made me think about my relationships and how I communicate so I hope it does that for the audience also. And of course, I hope that the content plus seeing trans and non-binary people on stage will encourage people to embrace the trans people around them. And allow the LGBTIA+ audience members to feel seen, because it doesn’t happen often enough!

Bethan Cullinane: I hope they will laugh! It is a very funny play, and if we can get them to laugh then we can get them to cry. You’ve got to get them when they’re not expecting it! I hope that they leave having felt for every single character. It’s still rare to see stories about LGBTQIA+ people on stage, so I also hope that this production will allow a lot of people around the UK to feel seen and embraced.

Rotterdam has had a very successful life in London. How do you think the show will be perceived by audiences around the country?

Lucy Jane Parkinson: Well, obviously I hope they like it. If they don’t it’s going to be a pretty rough two months. I hope those that have seen it before and are coming again are happy with the new cast dynamic. But mostly I just hope that audiences perceive it as great entertainment.

Ellie Morris : This is an important story to take outside of London. I think people will like it, at least I hope they will! There’s some element of this story which I think everyone will be able to relate to in some way.

Elijah W Harris: I am so excited to be touring this show; it often feels like everything happens in London and it is easy for creatives to become London-centric. I am from Leicester and seeing this show growing up would have changed my life, and I am not just saying that. Of course, the internet connects anyone at any time but seeing someone like you, telling a story like yours, in the flesh, in your space? Well there is truly nothing like it.

Bethan Cullinane: I think there are people all over the country that this story will resonate with, and I think there are many people who will learn something from it too. Not everywhere has easy access to theatre like this, so that is exciting, but I’m confident that every audience member will take something from the production and hopefully be moved or at least entertained! 

Did you always want to act?

Lucy Jane Parkinson: You mean there is an alternative – a job where I don’t need to feel like I’m chasing my own tail sometimes? I don’t believe you. Nah, it’s a great life! We all act every day of our lives whether we want to or not, don’t we? I’m smart, I clocked at the young age that I should try and get paid for it, as regular as possible anyway. 

Ellie Morris: Not very exciting but yes, I think I have!

Elijah W Harris: Yes, though I was also really into sports growing up and played pretty much anything I could. I remember playing one of Fat Sam’s gang in Bugsy Malone at High School and just feeling like that made a lot of sense. When I moved to London, I got a degree because I thought that was the most sensible option – I would be able to get a ‘proper job’. I didn’t know anything about drama schools and I certainly didn’t think that I was welcome in a place like that. They can’t teach that confidence or entitlement in state schools that private education seems to create. You are automatically on the back foot, feeling like an intruder somehow.

Bethan Cullinane: My mum was told in a parent teacher meeting that I was ‘an extremely shy child’, so you can imagine her delight when I became an actor. She actually tracked-down the teacher, just to let him know. I was forcibly placed on the dining table at Christmas to sing a few songs, and I was often in fancy dress (mainly Captain Scarlett) but it wasn’t until I was 16 that I really knew I wanted to act. After jumping a few hurdles that my dad put in place to make sure I was ‘properly committed’, I auditioned for drama school and I have never looked back. 

Any advice to budding actors?

Lucy Jane Parkinson: Take care of your mental health you young un’s (and oldies). It’s frightening being a human being sometimes – seek out your people and support them and in turn they will support you. Also, invest and save – but I suppose that is applicable to everything!

Ellie Morris: Embrace the things that are unique to you.

Elijah W Harris: Be kind to yourself, the industry can be hard and sometimes not very nice, so make up for that by giving yourself time and be patient. Learn to lift yourself up, make your own contacts and create opportunities for yourself. If you or your experiences are not represented on stage or TV then create something, be the change, be the person that you needed to see growing up.

Bethan Cullinane: Yes, I agree – be kind to yourself. It’s not an easy industry to be part of. Pursue work that you are passionate about and that you think matters, then you can’t go wrong. Make your own work – write, write, write, even if you think you’re terrible! Work with friends and support each other, open doors for others and they will open doors for you. It can take a while, but it will come back around. 

What would you say to encourage people to buy a ticket?

Ellie Morris: This play really does have everything you could possibly want from a night at the theatre. It’s a brilliantly written story. It’s funny and heart-breaking. The soundtrack is awesome and there are fireworks!

Elijah W Harris: This show has so, so, so much heart and is a lot of fun. It won’t be like anything else you’ve seen or will see for a while so don’t miss it!

Bethan Cullinane: This is some of the best writing I’ve ever come across. It’s funny, sharp, honest and gut wrenching. And if you hate it, I’ll buy you a pint. 

Lucy Jane Parkinson: I’m a northerner with a lot of connections. I will find you and demand an explanation. A huge team of us have worked very hard to bring this to as many people as possible –what’s your excuse not to? 

Rotterdam is at the Opera House, Manchester from 13-15 June 2019. See website for full tour details.

Read our review of Rotterdam at Manchester Opera House.

The post Backstage with the cast of Rotterdam appeared first on Quays Life.