Review of ‘Strangers In Between’: “Queer as skips”

Love and rejection hook up in this implosive production marking the acting debut of former Olympic athlete Matthew Mitcham. Guillermo Nazara does a deep dive into the show, to let us know if this heartwarming gay play is actually in hot water.

My brother beat me up, so I ran away from home. It’s strange how one fictional line can resonate with a whole audience’s reality. For some, it’s as accurate as it can get. For others, it’s the message that does the trick. The life of a gay man still has much of that: running away – not out of cowardness, but as mean of survival and, ultimately, trying to pursue your own happiness. You leave the pain behind. You break up with a past that doesn’t deserve you. Although the scars still can burn once in a while.

As the Autumn wind begins to blow, the blooms of Australian Spring are flourishing in the London scene, with the arrival of the queer-themed play Strangers In Between. A tale of struggle, sorrow and, above all, love, this surprisingly uproarious comedy manages to regale its viewers with a grasping, entertaining plot without renouncing to depth and highly moving quality. Written by Tommy Murphy, the show focuses on the lives of three gay men from different generations, whose paths are to cross one way or another. Yes, one of those is what you’re thinking of… they bump into each other in a liquor store.

A piece about overcoming fate no matter the circumstances, its intensity and relatability are no doubt its greatest strengths – able to bond the author’s truth with the spectator’s, and present us with a story that, regardless of the details, is not the story of somebody, but instead everyone sitting in that room. Its power to grasp and stir our emotions is impressively remarkable. And though some excerpts in the dialogues could be reworked to sound more realistic, the overall feeling is not only of being reflected, but above all, understood.

Outlined as a choral narrative, this production also marks the acting debut of former Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, making a much successful effort in his portrayal- exuding charm, naturality and good stage presence. On the other hand, Stephen Connery Brown makes a delightful appearance thanks to a hilarious and quite infectious delivery. However, the biggest praise is earned by Alex Ansdell, for his compelling, heartfelt performance, giving an outstandingly engaging performance through the character of a simple boy with so much complexity lying behind.

“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional”. Certainly, that’s driven the lives of so many of us as LGBT, jumping over the walls they’ve imposed on us – too often, way too soon. Strangers in Between however feels as a long-known friend, the kind that reminds us of that old principle: to never surrender and to keep standing when people try to put you down. Yet, the play holds too much impact to be considered just one more in the bunch – as its powerful narrative will surely reverberate in the memories of whoever comes see it. It’s not harrowing, as it honestly is a lot of fun – but also piercing and haunting. And it encompasses the idea that, for so many decades, has defined our community: a family built on care and togetherness, whose ties come from sympathy and a similar background of injustice.

All pictures credit to Peter Davies.

Strangers In Between plays at London’s Golden Goose Theatre until 7 October. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara