Reviews – Queers
3 February 2024REVIEWS
– by Len Power, City News, Thurs 15 Feb.
Directors Steph Roberts and Jarrad West have produced an emotionally charged evening in a perfect setting. They have obtained detailed, in-depth performances from each of the actors.
Queers
– by Peter Wilkinson, Canberra Critics Circle, Thurs 15 Feb.
Queers demands attentiveness that prompts ironic laughter, takes the patrons of The Prince’s Arms on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and delivers a salutary account of the gay experience over the past century. Everyman Theatre’s revival of Mark Gattis’s collection of monologues is a night at the theatre that is not to be missed.
What is so remarkable about this production is its humanity. Each monologue is beautifully written, imbuing the character with the fundamental truth of the individual gay experience. With insight and sensitivity, directors Steph Roberts and Jarrad West elicit extraordinary performances from the seven actors.
West and Roberts have carefully guided each actor to discover the uniqueness of their character’s experience and infuse performance with thorough belief and conviction. Each actor under West’s and Roberts’ guidance gives a masterclass in timing, pausation and truth.
‘Queers’ – a memorable and moving evening of intimate theatre
– by David Blanco, FUSE Magazine, Thurs 15 Feb
Queers is a memorable and moving evening of intimate theatre. Everyman Theatre’s production of this remarkable stage experience offered an intimate, emotional, and unforgettable journey brought to life by a talented ensemble of seven local actors.
Under the skilful direction of Jarrad West and Steph Roberts, “Queers” captivates audiences with its emotional depth and resonance.
Queers
– by Simon Tolhurst, That Guy who watches Canberra Theatre, Wed 14 Feb
A perfectly cast delight… done with care, intimacy, skill, and gentle power. Each of the performers immediately grab our attention and don’t let it go for around 20 minutes
PUBLICITY
Queers tells tales of the heart at ACT Hub
– by Jessica Cordwell, Canberra Daily, 12 Feb 2024.
“These really distinct fully realised and fully fleshed out characters represent a different point in queer history and a different perspective on what it was to be queer at that time. A lovely mix of men, women, queer people, allies, people wrestling with sexuality, gender identity- a diverse array of perspectives,”
says actor Joel Horwood.
Everyman Theatre’s smash-hit production ‘Queers’ returning to the Old Causeway Hall
– by James Day, RiotAct, 15 Jan 2024
“It’s not just sitting to watch monologue after monologue of people talking at you. It happens all around the audience, and we break it up so you can digest each monologue as you’re sitting in this pub.
says Director Jarrad West
Queers – A Century of Love, Laughter and Liberation
– by David Blanco, FUSE Magazine, 1 Feb 2024.
Everyman Theatre is set to revive its critically acclaimed production ‘Queers’ at the Old Causeway Hall in February. This immersive and innovative show, curated by Mark Gatiss and directed by Jarrad West and Steph Roberts, invites audiences to delve into a century of evolving social attitudes and political milestones in British Queer history.
‘Queers’ comprises seven short monologues, originally developed for British television in 2017 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Sexual Offences Act in 1967. This groundbreaking legislation legalised homosexual acts in private between men aged over 21. Renowned writer Mark Gatiss (‘Sherlock,’ ‘Doctor Who’) contributed one of the monologues and commissioned other contemporary writers to create a poignant yet compelling narrative that spans from 1917 through to the legalisation of gay marriage.
The monologues are a rollercoaster of emotions, ranging from funny and riotous to tragic and heart-rending. They explore pivotal moments in Britain’s queer history including the Wolfenden Report of 1957, the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s, and the debate over the gay age of consent.
‘Queers’ skilfully condenses one hundred years of gay history into a series of powerful and personal stories.
This production promises to be a memorable and immersive theatre-going experience. The Old Causeway Hall will be transformed into an old British ale house, The Princes Arms, a staging innovation that resonated strongly with previous audiences.
In anticipation of the 2024 production of ‘Queers’, David Blanco from FUSE magazine spoke with Jarrad West, one of the show’s directors. A luminary of Canberra’s theatre scene and co-director of Everyman Theatre, Jarrad has left an indelible mark with his performances and critically acclaimed direction of local productions, including ‘Angels in America’ and ‘The Laramie Project.’ Joining the ACT Hub in 2021, he also manages the Old Causeway Hall. Jarrad discusses what Canberra audiences can expect when they come to see ‘Queers,’ the creative process behind its staging, and the importance of the stories told in the show’s monologues.
Read on for the full interview between Fuse and one of our wonderful co-directors, Jarrad West, about the show and its importance for our community: