Catch this LGBTQIA dark comedy at the Blue Elephant Theatre in March
BY CAROLINA MENDONCA, IMAGES BY THEA MELTON
I’m Allergic To People is an upcoming play by Rebecca Douglass that delves into the world of queer women’s experiences within sex and dating culture. Following the life of four young adults Adam (Samuel Bell), Olivia (Rebecca Douglass), Elizabeth (Megan Lee) and Jay (Viola Rizzardi), the play navigates what it means to live life and confront one’s queerness whilst battling past traumas.
Directed by Caterina Siano and Produced by Thea Melton, the cast is composed of a myriad of emerging creatives who have worked with outstanding companies such as The National Youth Theatre, The Young Vic and Theatre Peckham.
Having had the chance to interview such a compelling team, they expressed the importance of the play’s approach to queerness, commenting on its emphasis on queer identity as a subjective and malleable concept as opposed to having it rely on rigid binary definitions. Director Siano remarked that the play “sees four young adults confronting struggles with their sexual identities in various shapes and forms, and that it is important to provide characters the chance to naturally explore their queerness.”
Additionally, playwright Douglass reflected that, during the writing process she considered “how mainstream film and theatre representations of queerness are often devoid of authenticity and often don’t have a queer audience in mind.” Viola Rizzardi, who portrays Jay, reiterates the importance of the play’s relatability, as it allows for a queer audience to face a reflection of themselves on stage.
Likewise, the play confronts the subject of homophobia and wants to act as a catalyst in the de-stigmatization of discussions surrounding the topic. From uncomfortable microaggressive questions about what happens in a lesbian’s bedroom, to full-blown hate crimes, Douglass’ play brings the widespread existence of homophobia into the spotlight and criticizes the systemic disregard towards such crimes.
Having been longlisted for the Grass Routes Prize, I’m Allergic To People has provided young creatives with an incomparable opportunity to engage with original queer theatre. The play has been programmed at the Blue Elephant Theatre’s Festival For All, which is funded by the Southwark Council’s Culture Together Fund and will be performed from 18-22 March 2025. You can find tickets online here.
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.