LOCUSTS

Tell Me About Your Mother

Until gay conversion therapy is banned by law in the UK, this short, intimate play will remain relevant.

The performance, an Orangeworks production, written by Ian Tucker-Bell and Garth McLean, directed by Philip Holden, opens with an evangelical pastor welcoming us to his church in Yorkshire on Mothering Sunday. He asks us to tell him about our mothers.

We are then introduced to Stephen, his American boyfriend Jeff, and his best friend Siân.

Jeff is leaving for the US to be with his father, who is dying.  Stephen wants to join him but Jeff is against this, as his family, and especially his glamorous mother, disapproves of his relationship with Stephen. The situation is proving to be very stressful.

Meanwhile, Siân confesses to Stephen that she has given his phone number to her mother, thinking that she wanted to invite him to her birthday party. Her mother, however, has passed on the number to Pete, the pastor of her church. The pastor is now repeatedly calling Stephen who refuses to answer.

It transpires that unknown to Jeff, Stephen was a member of this church as a teenager and had been strongly attracted to the charismatic Pete. Pete was the first person that Stephen came out to, but after a superficial profession of brotherly love, Pete convinced Stephen to a attend a series of house meetings where he and the church elders tried to “pray the gay away”. When Stephen became more and more distressed by the situation he lied to Pete and told him he was “healed”. Stephen left the church soon after and they lost touch.

Stephen eventually relents and agrees to see Pete while Jeff is away. Their meeting brings back all the old confusing feelings which he had for the “hot pastor” and the anguish and guilt that he felt at the time.

Stephen recalls that the first thing that Pete said to him when he came out were not words of sympathy but “Tell me about your mother.”

Evangelical churches often blame homosexuality on families with dominant mothers and passive fathers. During his conversion therapy, Stephen was constantly made to feel that his homosexuality was his mother’s fault, but his mother ended up being his greatest support and ally against the church.

Pete has no idea that Stephen is still gay. He wants Stephen, as the prime example of his success, to call his lesbian daughter and encourage her to go through with conversion therapy. Stephen, still under his spell, says nothing about Jeff and takes her telephone number without agreeing to make the call. So what will he do?

Although boasting an excellent ensemble cast, with Pierce Stevens as a slightly unconvincing Jeff, Cathy Treble as the reliable Siân and Nick Blessley as the creepy Pete, praise must be heaped upon Ian Tucker-Bell in the central rôle of Stephen. He  plays the part with such naturalness and emotional honesty that it makes the play truly memorable.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Space Triplex Studio, Venue 38, Prince Phillip Building

Daily at 16.05 until 9th August