Six monologues come together under one rainbow to bring The People’s Theatre back into view this week. SAM WONFOR has the details.
Six monologues will be performed online for Queers at The People’s Theatre in Newcastle. Credit: Jack Thompson
Although the bricks and mortar of the People’s Theatre may not be opening up just yet, armchair audiences are being invited to soak up a collection of special performances this week.
Queers is a series of monologues reflecting a century of gay life in Britain and will mark the online debut of The People’s Theatre, in Newcastle ahead of its planned reopening proper in the autumn.
Curated by County Durham-born Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who, Sherlock and Dracula too), the series was commissioned in 2017 as part of the BBC’s Gay Britannia slate of programming. Celebrating evolving social attitudes and political milestones in British gay history, the stories are told from the perspectives of people who were affected.
Poignant, funny, tragic and celebratory, these six distinct stories encompass major events such as the 1957 Wolfenden Report, the devastating HIV and AIDS crisis and the legalisation of same sex marriage.
Although the production had been planned for a live performance run late last year, the winter Covid lockdown forced a digital rethink.
Online rehearsals were undertaken until mid-May when a relaxing of restrictions meant in-person final run throughs and costume fittings could take place before the pieces were recorded.
Jon Carlile as Steve in Something Borrowed. Credit: Jack Thompson
John Carlile performs Something Borrowed By Gareth McLean, which finds Stephen on his wedding day in 2016.
“My monologue, and Steve’s story, pulls no punches but is full of love, joy and hope,” says John. “I’m excited for us to reach a wider audience and for more people to be able to experience the People’s Theatre online and experience these wonderful stories.”
Another of the monologues sees Alison Carr performing The Perfect Gentleman by Jackie Clune. Set in 1929, we meet cockney girl Ellen who describes the freedoms and pleasures of living life as top-hat-and-tails wearing Bobby.
Alison Carr as Bobby in The Perfect Gentleman. Credit: Jack Thompson
“It’s just me as Bobby telling you, the viewer, about my life,” says Alison. “About how it feels to wear these clothes and find myself, and become myself. Like we’re actually sitting in the pub. There’s an intimacy there which is really exciting.
“Of course, we’re all looking forward to getting our plays back on stage in front of live audiences from September – there’s something so special about that that can’t be replicated or replaced,” she continues, “But Queers, because they’re monologues, because it’s one person telling you their story, it really works on film.”
Lining up on screen alongside John and Alison will be Daniel Magee in The Man on the Platform by Mark Gatiss; Eileen Davidson in Missing Alice by Jon Bradfield; Keith Wigham in I Miss the War by Matthew Baldwin; and Adam Thompson in More Anger by Brian Fillis.
Zoom rehearsals for Queers at The People’s Theatre in Newcastle
All six monologues will be available on demand from Tuesday to Saturday (July 6-10) at a ticket price of £10 per household.
Producer at The People’s, Phil Bradley, says: “It’s been a privilege to enable six fine performers to create these magical pieces of theatre.
“There were times when, because of lockdown, it looked as if we would never get to perform them. But we persisted over six months and have crafted six truly compelling pieces.”
To book a ticket for Queers, visit www.peoplestheatre.co.uk.