Dreaming and Drowning ⚝⚝⚝⚝⚝
Bush Theatre, London
Dreaming and Drowning is a brilliant new, award-winning, queer coming-of-age play by Kwame Owusu, currently on at London’s innovative Bush Theatre. The cosy theatre, which recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, specializes in the development of new plays and playwrights, and this play is one of its best.
Young West-Londoner Malachi (rising star Tienne Simon) is bright and athletic, and looking forward to his first term at Bristol University, where his love of books, and in particular black science fiction, will be nourished with an English literature degree. His mind is wild and open which leads him in many directions as he juggles youthful anxiety with excitement about the future. At times his anxiety seems to get the better of him, as he repeatedly suffers the same nightmare, waking up in a sweat having dreamt that he is in his bed at the bottom of the ocean. A beast is in the water, hunting him and getting closer and closer. His fondness of science fiction means his brain goes into overdrive as the early hours of the day are spent untangling fantasy from reality. This nightmare could be reality.
The main cause of his anxiety and nightmares is made clear as we join Malachi as he recounts the summer before his first term. Hopefully, university will be a fresh start. Well, it is, but university has a new set of challenges. The relatively sophisticated Londoner has to try and find a new tribe of friends amongst the naïve, inexperienced, middle-class, middle Englanders who form his fellow students. He is also the only non-white person on his course. This is not what he was expecting. Where are his people? The nightmares continue and then he meets handsome musician Koji, president of the Queer Black Students Society. Koji is everything he ever dreamed about in a man, and seems to share an interest in Malachi. Koji introduces Malachi to an exciting new group of people and parties. Things are looking up for Malachi but can he control his inner demons and thrive in his new world?
Dreaming and Drowning is a theatrical gem. The intimate one-hour monologue sees Simon command the stage and effortlessly hold the audience as he plays both Malachi and all the characters around him. His wide-eyed charisma and energetic, balletic movement are infectious as we join his journey from his dark anxious nightmares to laugh-out-funny moments as he mimics his fellow students. We will him on as his love affair with Koji develops. We want more of everything Simon offers. Owusu’s script is superb, fresh and thought-provoking. Totally of the time, but generous enough to reflect any coming-of-age experience of the past few decades. A chic set by Tomas Palmer is made full use of, thanks too to Movement Director Ingrid Mackinnon. Modern story-telling at its best.
Queerguru’s Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
