Who’d enjoy it? Lovers of drag queens, Rocky Horror, The Breakfast Club, New Wave, the 80s, Scifi, Flash Gordon, jazz hands, coming out stories and Sparks – to name a few. While set in the 80s, the themes of ally-ship and acceptance are universal and resonate today. Space Age Love Songs feels like a cult classic in the making. I left the Hen and Chickens feeling warm (literally, dress for the tropics, it gets hot up there) and uplifted.
You’d have to be hard of heart to not care what happens to her, and to not be moved by her journey. She is a delight to watch. She has such an expressive and open face, Cami’s emotions shine through for all to see. You can totally understand why Cami is so infatuated with him. Robert Twaddle is otherworldly as Daniel, and brings a wonderful physicality to the role that enables him to convincingly go from drag-queen to mandroid. I love her performances.Īndie Worth’s Matt is a glowering, petulant, damaged figure as Daniel’s woman-hating, closeted boyfriend. While there is a knowing humour to their performances, it is never at the expense of the emotional truth of the show.Įleanor Burke brings a resonant emotional depth to the role of Cami’s mother, while also seamlessly transforming into various other more comic roles (including that of her Mormon teacher Tankersley). The cast of six throw themselves into the show with an energy and sincerity that brings it all together.
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There is even an hilarious fight scene, but I’ll say no more as my reviews are a spoiler free zone. With music credits ranging from Ultravox to Tchiakovsky via Sondheim, there is certainly a wide range of sounds shaping the movement. Lottie Grogan’s choreography is sharp and playful, fitting in perfectly with the flow of the show.
The small space of the Hen and Chickens is used cleverly, a few props here and there prompt our imaginations to travel easily between Arizona and Mirrorworld. Micha Mirto’s direction brings this ambitious story to life in a fun, self-aware way, with Cami often breaking the fourth wall with a look or a gesture, to great comic effect. This means the show maintains a fun, pace that keeps viewers absorbed throughout. The show merges the real with the fantastical in a way that drives the plot forward in both realities, avoiding any unnecessary repetition of events. A place she has created to escape from the real world. He opens her eyes to new worlds, from gay bars and drag shows, to the sort of books you wouldn’t find in a school library.ĭaniel is quickly absorbed into the fantasy scifi world she visits when listening to her a music. Her tendency to wear all black, and to be constantly listening to her headphones, means she hasn’t had a chance to make friends at her new school, that is until she meets Daniel. Set in 80s Arizona we meet Cami, a teenager living in poverty with a mother who wants her out of the way.
What I hadn’t anticipated was just how much heart this show would have.
What was I expecting? A queer love story, with drag, dancing, scifi, mandroids, new wave music and a celebration of the friendship between gay men and straight women. This meant that I arrived at the Hen and Chickens knowing a lot about the ambitions of the show, and my expectations were high. For followers of my blog who recognise her name, my interview with her went up earlier this week and you can read it here Last night I was at the Hen and Chickens for the opening night of Space Age Love Songs by TL Wiswell.