Jake Mace
Heartfelt, honest, and deeply hilarious – An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo takes an immensely nuanced deep-dive into homosexuality, homophobia, and straight-identifying young men who “just fuck other men” sometimes. 18-year old Johnny struggles to find his place amongst the rugby lads in his final year at his all-boys school, but will everything change when a chance meeting in the showers with prefect Harry leads to steamy encounters? Is their relationship all it’s cracked up to be?
This two-hander sees Ned Blackburn stay in situe throughout as Johnny, who navigates mandatory church services by managing a Britney stan account on Instagram, and intersperses sections of his PSHE sex education lessons with bleak and boisterous Grindr encounters. Drama soon ensues as Will Walford’s gruff but charming Harry begins hooking up with Johnny in between class, and Johnny begins to wonder precisely what’s driven his only other openly Gay classmate away from the school.
Walford deftly switches between characters with exceptionally poised characterisation. We bare witness to some hysterical moments with Walford playing the combination priest-headmaster character, who comes across more as drill sergeant than pious reverend. His sermons almost have a slam poem-esque quality to them, and leave the audience in stitches throughout. Walford shines also as Harry, managing to keep a toxically masculine quality and revealing tenderness underneath. The tug between those two forces defines Harry’s character, and leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering which side he will eventually succumb to.
Blackburn is a commanding central performer who clearly revels in the chance to fill Johnny’s life with as much drama and antics as he can. In the piece’s quieter and more solemn moments, Blackburn intrigues with a soft expression and gentle approach. This contrasts wildly with in-yer-face loud-and-proud moments of Queer joy and buoyancy that are delivered with gusto and charm. He doesn’t miss a beat, leaving an all-consuming presence with a satisfying story arc.
Spotless choreography and carefully-crafted intimacy creates a blend of hysterics and tenderness too, especially in an unforgettable scene with Britney blasting over the speakers, which left the audience in my show in fits of laughter. It’s such a joyous, playful piece at it’s highest notes, that hits at the core of what Fringe Theatre should be – fun, expressive, undaunting. This piece doesn’t look to re-invent the wheel, instead it offers up a charismatically delivered story with a unique perspective on Queer intimacy.
While Johnny and Harry might not ever be able to truly understand each other’s intentions, An Adequate Abridgement… settles with accepting fragmented and fractured identities are part of what makes our stories so compelling. Not simply coming-of-age, never explicitly a coming-out story, this show is something in between and something so much more. A compelling, rib-tickling ode to a complicated Queer youth matched in thematic vibrancy by absorbing and refined performances.
Recommended Drink: Pair this with a bottle of gin snuck from your parents’ holiday home over Christmas time.
Catch An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo one last time tomorrow 15th August at 11:15, Just The Tonic at The Caves – Just the Fancy Room. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.
Phoebe Bakker
