Be prepared to shed tears during Lost Boys and Fairies, a beautiful, heart-breaking, thought-provoking British drama mini-series which explores the world of adoption through the lens of Cardiff-based gay couple Gabriel (Sion Daniel Young) and Andy (Fra Fee).
Gabriel and Andy have been together for eight years and live a comfortable settled life together in a leafy suburb. Gabriel is a cabaret performer, “not a drag queen” at Neverland, a local queer club, and Andy is an accountant. We meet them as they sit at home with their social worker Jackie (Elizabeth Berrington), who details the long and winding road to parenthood via the adoption process. This involves a detailed exploration of both guys’ backgrounds, childhoods, familial and social relationships. For Gabriel, who grew up during the homophobic Thatcher ‘Clause 28’ era in a religious household and had to deal with a gruff single father, the early death of his mother and homophobic bullying at school, this opens up many old wounds. This is an important part of the adoption process apparently, as past trauma can often shape future parenting methods. Gabriel also lets Jackie know that he has had issues with chem-sex addiction in the past, but that he’s now moved on. Jackie notes this and says he’ll have to demonstrate that this behaviour is in the past.
They also discuss what kind of child they’d like to adopt and they are both adamant that they want a girl under six years old. So, it’s a big surprise when, a few weeks later at an adoption open day for potential parents and children, seven-year-old Jake (Leo Harris) melts their hearts and becomes their favoured adoptee. What follows is a very emotional, tense and unpredictable journey as the three souls slowly begin the eventful, complex process to unite as a family.
Based on his own experiences, creator and writer Daf James’s brilliant script entertains and educates in equal measure. Director James Kent astutely shows the highs and lows of the journey through adoption from all angles, with brilliant performances from all the supporting cast – including Berrington, Harris and an excellent Sharon D Clarke who plays Jake’s foster mother. Gwyneth Keyworth is also stand-out, as Becky, Jake’s birth-mother. The life journeys taken by many queer people through the past few decades are thoughtfully examined through Gabriel’s traumatic flashbacks – gay shame, the closet, bullying etc – which compare favourably to where we are now, at least in the more civilised parts of the world. The scenes set in Neverland and those involving Gabriel’s fellow performers, are beautifully executed, with the most fabulous looks, both front of house and backstage. Top notch musical numbers too as well as an interesting sub-plot about the Welsh language.
An all-round excellent production, Lost Boys and Fairies is one of the best things I’ve viewed this year.
Bring tissues.Lost Boys and Fairies will be screening at Miami’s OUTSHINE Film Fest then will be streaming on BBCI Player and can be viewed globally via a VPN
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
Labels: 2024, BBC TV series, Fra Fee, Lost Boys and Fairies, review, Ris Fatah, Sharon D Clarke, Sion Daniel Young
