Review: Beautiful Thing, Tobacco Factory Theatres

Beautiful Thing was first performed at The Bush in London in 1993, and was made into a screenplay by Channel 4 three years later, with Linda Henry (later of EastEnders) as gobby mum Sandra, a classic tart-with-a-heart role that came to personify her.

The play came out at a time when staying in the closet was the safest thing to do, especially for young gays struggling with their sexual identity amidst a climate of homophobia, bullying, AIDS-related paranoia and shameful Thatcherite legislation in the form of the now infamous Section 28 that forbade local councils to ‘promote’ homosexuality in schools.

Beautiful Thing quickly became an iconic LGBT piece of storytelling, encouraging those who dared not speak the name of their love to do so, with pride.

Now, 25 years on, Tobacco Factory Theatres has re-staged it for modern audiences at a time when gender terminology has embraced more of the keyboard (LGBTQIAPK, and counting) as people’s sexuality becomes more fluid and hopefully less fear-inducing all round.

Pics: Mark Dawson Photography

But it’s still a brave step for (particularly young) gay people to come out to their families and peers. And even if Mr & Mrs Joe and Joanna Public are gradually getting over everyone else’s personal sexual tastes, homophobia is still alive and kicking in the UK, and life-threatening in other parts of the world.

Set in the unlovely London borough of Thamesmead – a high-rise, post-war arcadia located on the silver waterway between the Woolwich Arsenal and the Crossness Sewage Works – the play’s script celebrates the nasal vernacular of the eastern end of the Thames estuary, replete with rapid ping-pong banter and glottal stops. “If you don’ shut up I’m gonna get a brick an’ smash it in your faayce!”; “’Ee was the most beootifool bayby in Bermondsey!”; and the word ‘round’ pronounced ‘raaaaaand’ (music to the ears of this Beckenham & Penge girl). Heard in Bristol, it sounds almost exotic.

The production has quite a nostalgic, dated feel – as well as being a social document, the play’s also a period piece. The cast sounds and looks the part – particularly Amy-Leigh Hickman (Leah) and Phoebe Thomas (Sandra) in their gawdy outfits – although it would have been savvy to use the large and tuneful community choir as a matching backdrop of colourful ‘90s hair and fashion disasters.

Ted Reilly has a nice natural, open-faced quality as schoolboy Jamie, who discovers that there are more thrilling ways of sharing his single bed with schoolmate Ste than ‘top-to-tail’ (especially when you’ve bought a copy of Gay Times – probably still top-shelf material back in the ‘90s). Newcomer Tristan Waterson turns in a nicely understated performance as Ste, though Fin Hanlon’s Tony (Jamie’s mum Sandra’s boyfriend-of-the-moment) comes over as confusingly camp rather than hippy-artistic.

The TFT audience were firmly onboard with the play and the ground it covers, particularly during the second half and its thunderous ending, and gave it a standing ovation on press night.

Beautiful Thing continues at Tobacco Factory Theatres until Saturday, Oct 27. For more info, visit www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com/shows/beautiful-thing