Creator and Director: Ray Young
Assistant Director: Esme Allman
Ray Young’s OUT is a reflective and celebratory piece about queerness. As the audience comes into a club-like setting, we see two performers whine to the blasting dancehall music. Mia Maxwell’s costume design drenches the dancers in black leather, fishnets and chunky gold jewellery and from the outset, the audience is made to feel like it can party alongside them.
The production delves into the complexities of gender and sexual identity with the recurring motif of performativity, exemplified by the dancers donning black gloves adorned with acrylics. While the choreography dazzles throughout, moments of repetition momentarily impede the pacing, albeit perhaps to underscore the perpetual struggle for queer rights. An example of this repetition is when they peel several oranges on stage. Once finished, they then share ‘the fruit of their labour’ with the audience and this quickly becomes the highlight of the performance as the exploration of sensuality with the symbolic orange captivates the audience with its depth.
Performers Bambi Phillips Jordan and Azara Meghie have a gravitational pull especially through their luring eye contact as they pose. Their body presence and confident demeanour bring to life the choreography in a bold and intriguing manner.
Naomi Jackson’s sound design serves as a crucial narrative element, juxtaposing joyous music with excerpts of homophobic and transphobic rhetoric, effectively underscoring the ongoing societal tensions. This interplay between soundbites and movement dismantles the power of hateful words, conveying resilience and defiance.
Nao Nagai’s dynamic lighting design is integral to the performance, using bold colours to amplify the celebration of queerness and accentuating Naomi Kuyck-Cohen’s pink square set design. A standout moment occurs when rectangular lighting illuminates the performers’ bodies, prompting reflection on the dehumanising effects of homophobic and transphobic discourse.
OUT is a testament to resilience and celebration, evoking laughter, introspection, and boldness: a beautiful ode to queer experience.
Runs until 26 April 2024
