Love, Question Mark presents the first of hopefully many more examples of great writing at New Diorama Theatre.
Michael probably sailed through ‘middle age’ with his wife. But she's long gone and ‘elderly’ is fast approaching, so he orders a surprise package for himself to ahem, enjoy. The package, however, poses more of a challenge than Michael expects. It’s through his protagonist’s seemingly specific issues that writer Robert Gillespie has cleverly penned a contemplative piece that throws up resounding, trans-generational issues about relationships and loneliness.
The sheer variety of perspectives on what we call ‘love’ and the energetic but exasperated way in which they are philosophised and reasoned pulls the audience into an unsettling, unapologetic investigation into all our characters, our most basic needs and our most extraordinary fantasies. At times the action strays into unnecessary and confusing territory, encompassing more breadth than depth of argument.
Wave goodbye to the fourth wall as you enter and be ready to be addressed by a man you can’t quite make sense of. Michael is endearing but he’s come to terms with the power his sexual desires have over him and, in doing so, has become desperate, unashamed and a little too matter-of-fact. Played to perturb and charm his audience by Stuart Sessions, Michael is the voice for Gillespie’s gripes with the hypocrisy of public perception and definitions of ‘happiness’ and the willing self-delusion that fuels it all. Gillespie has written at length about his personal motivation here
Michael grapples with the science of an erection and the Biblical guilt of it all. The constant aspiring to blissful monogamy is his main gripe. At times, the spewing of his back and forth could almost be part of a stand-up routine. He looks to the animal word for sense, and is allured by the practicality of sex for sale: a realm where man's needs and man’s lies are acknowledged and accepted.
Love, Question Mark is a brilliant piece with which to open the New Diorama Theatre. Robert Gillespie's writing is both sharp and ponderous and certainly stays with you. The show also features a stand-out performance by Clare Cameron whose depiction of a woman sold into the sex trade is edifying and perplexing in equal measure. And she has a voice like a lark to boot.
Love, Question Mark runs at New Diorama Theatre until 1st May
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