The London premiere of The Faggots And Their Friends Between Revolutions gets its outing at London’s Southbank Centre from January 25 – 28.
Produced by Factory International, and adapted for the stage by composer Philip Venables, it’s billed as a blend of opera, theatre and dance as it explores fables and myths, drawing on the classic 1977 cult novel by Larry Mitchell and Ned Asta. It’s filled with battle re-enactments, all-night raves, lute songs and court dances.
The cast perform double or triple roles with instruments, acting as singers, narrators and dancers to conjure a world on the brink of revolution, and a joyful celebration of a world through a queer lens. Both radical and playful, it’s described as an anarchic bedtime story.
I can unpack the title and the original storyline as follows: we are transported to the declining empire of ruler Ramrod, where those in charge are “the men” – a patriarchal society. The faggots of the title are gay men, who live communally, produce art, have sex and await the next revolution.
Their ‘friends’ include ‘the strong women’ (feminists), ‘the queens” – drag stars, ‘the women who love women’ – lesbians, and ‘the faeries’ – the radicals, and there are also ‘the queer men’, who are gay men who are closeted, or who have been assimilated into the patriarchal society.
Lots of food for thought there, folks. Look out for a review of the show coming soon in Scene. The show is at the Queen Elizabeth Hall: tickets HERE
