‘Welcome to Weatherhill!’ is how we  are greeted at the start of this wonderful play written and directed by BAFTA award winner Glenn Chandler who adapted if from the book of the same name by Michael Campbell, the late Lord Glenavy.

Set in a typical English boarding school in the 1967 – Parliament is in the process of amending the law to make homosexuality legal for the over 21’s and this play is celebrating the 50th anniversary of this milestone in LGBT history in the only LGBT theatre in the UK.

Weatherhill had enjoyed a rather louche existence with fourteen unmarried masters, the senior prefect is in love with a fourth year pupil, a chaplain with his collection of naked lads on the wall of his study and an English master with his own hidden secrets.  Now however a new Head Master, Philip Crabtree arrives to take over and is totally homophobic with his obsessive religious wife (a very funny performance from Julie Teal) and they are determined to rid the school of this ‘moral degeneracy’

The role of the head master and the Reverend are played to great effect by the same actor David Mullen, one austere and masterly and one fey and camp that I had to check that it was the one actor such was his brilliant performance. The senior prefect Terry Carleton played by Joshua Oakes-Rogers tall and angelic with a touch of lustfulness and so in love with a junior Nicholas Allen was an absolute delight ……as was Joe Bence as his love interest, he captured innocence and desire perfectly.

In fact the entire cast were perfect in their roles and carried the piece along at a great pace with perfect comedic timing. The second act contains the hilarious school play “Peter Piper” written by the Reverend which brings things to its rather sad and reflective end for some and tragic for others. The English teacher, a finely nuanced performance by Lewis Alcock facing his demons and finding his rightful path was very touching.

This play was a great hit at the Edinburgh Fringe and will I am sure be sold out at Above The Stag theatre, but how lovely it would be to see it in a larger space in the West End and reaching the full audience it so deserves. I also thought that there was potential for a TV series here, broadening the scope of the story and the period of change in the 60’s. It would be a shame if such a sharply directed play and cast should disappear after a short run here.

31st October to 19th November

http://www.abovethestag.com/vxl/

 A Boys of the Empire Production

Review by Peter Harrington 

queerguru Contributing Editor