Moving, intimate and heartbreaking, Theatre Paradok’s Unwelcome is a powerful story of family, queer love, class and identity, told during the height of the AIDS crisis and criminalisation of homosexuality in Thatcher’s Britain.
Entering the venue to nonstop retro pop bangers, the presence of Bowie and Wham! posters on the wall very much catapults us to the vibrance of the 80s. We are introduced to boyfriends and flatmates Julian and Andrew, the former who decides to dance in true George Michael fashion when sensing sadness from his partner. With a glorious nostalgia-fuelled soundtrack including ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ by Wham! and ‘Somewhere in My Heart’ by Aztec Camera, we watch Julian (Eric Parker) twirl across the stage. We see the gleaming love in their relationship, prevailing despite the chaos that ensues after Andrew’s sister arrives unexpectedly with a heavy secret, only to learn that Andrew has secrets of his own.
All three characters are given a voice as we empathise with their struggles and trauma. Sam Mackinnon is deeply vulnerable as Andrew, subtly showing his tied-together façade falter as repressed emotions resurface. Tala Davidson’s intimate set of a cramped, claustrophobic flat further accentuates Andrew’s feeling of mental entrapment, not only due to hiding his Northern upbringing from his boyfriend, but as a closeted gay man during the implementation of Section 28 and the AIDS crisis. Meg Crutchley is an unfiltered and loudly loyal Tracy, her youthful innocence striking as she grapples with a life-changing secret. Eric Parker is vibrant and effortlessly funny as Julian, nevertheless delivering moments of sincerity when voicing the need to protest against Section 28.
Alongside moments of natural and hearty comedy, the play does not shy away from delving into issues of class, strained family dynamics, and the criminalisation of homosexuality. We see how much the siblings’ working-class upbringing in Huddersfield defines their identity; Andrew’s subtle but powerful changing of his name back to “Andy” at the end symbolises him embracing his upbringing. The ingrained North/South divide is shown in comedic moments – Julian asks where “‘Uddersfield” is, and Andrew calls out Julian for being surprised he’d never been skiing. Through voiceovers of calls about friends lost to AIDS, we are gravely reminded of the collective trauma of the LGBTQ+ community, and the weight of suffering outside the confines of their flat.
Brooke Jessop’s Unwelcome is both heartbreaking and quietly hopeful. Against the backdrop of a dark period in queer history, its celebration of queer identity and love shines through.
Image by Brooke Jesse, provided to The Student as press.