Jade Anouka stars in this tale of love and connection
BY TRUDY HOWSON, IMAGE BY MARC BRENNER
I love the Almeida, located just off Upper Street, N1. It’s sleek, stylish and serves lovely food and great, often groundbreaking, new plays.
“Otherland” is no exception. This hugely, dramatic and expansive play explores womanhood in all its forms: lesbian, bi, queer, trans or cis. Its central theme of love and connection tackles challenging topics head on. The production is ambitious, dark and dramatic, funny and lighthearted…combining realism with myth and sci-fi.
Harry (Fizz Sinclair) and Jo (Jade Anouka) are getting married, supported by enthusiastic friends. This chorus of women, sing their affirmation and consternation about events as the play unfolds.
Both newlyweds experience profound changes and transformations.
Harry, by transitioning into her authentic female self. Actively unlearning decades of assumptions and privileges, whilst enduring prejudice and ridicule from their family and society at large.
Jo, although attempting to unplug herself from heterosexual expectations finds herself pressured to become a surrogate mother to her new wife’s (Amanda Wilkin) much wanted baby.
This is bold and brave writing from Chris Bush, and informed, in part, by her own experience as a trans woman. Bush is uniquely placed to explore the rules and rigid expectations placed on mothers, daughters, wives and lovers, and does so with love and empathy.
Ann Yee directs the production, which sometimes felt rushed and erratic…I wasn’t convinced by the gothic mermaid and cyber episodes in the second half. Brace yourself for the explosion!
I loved the secret pool that was revealed in the second half, on a previously minimalistic set. Great design by Fly Davis.
Otherland gives us the opportunity to experience ‘others’ reality, whilst encouraging us to open our hearts and minds. An interesting night out.
Otherland is on at the Almeida Theatre until 15 March. Trudy Howson is the inaugural LGBT Poet Laureate for the UK.
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