One of the biggest fears almost every queer person in their earlier years is the truth. In a world that is constantly evolving and accepting the diversities of other communities, there is still denial, internal confusion, comparison, searching for answers, the navigation of relationships and then the inevitable self-proclamation of your sexual and/or gender identity.

Black Faggot, written by Victor Rodger and directed by Anapela Polata’ivao ONZM is a comedic take on many different perspectives on the modern multicomplex social commentary around male-on-male homosexuality, specifically in Samoan culture. Two actors – Jake Tupu and Gideon T. Smith – play a myriad of roles throughout the play, from a young queer in denial who looks to God for answers; a supportive ‘stereotypical’ older brother who likes to “break stuff” and “smash people up”; a couple where one is out and proud and the other is a closested gay, lovers-in-discretion type dichotomy; and more. The different characters Jake and Gideon play are sequenced like a skit show, where you cut from one scene to another in the middle of their storyline, allowing for a sequence of different character developments throughout the 60-minute runtime.

The play is showcased in the Wakefield Family Front Room at the new Court Theatre. The Wakefield Family Front Room space is more intimate than the main auditoria – only 12 rows, six on the ground and six on the balcony. Seats are at the stage front, left and right, with the stage taking up the centre of the room, curtained on stage left and right.

The chairs are only one-foot away from the stage, so when the actors come forward, they are in your face. I enjoy the intimate setting for a show like this. There isn’t a lot of stage production (more on that later), but I think it serves the play well, considering it is so heavily reliant on character storytelling.

Whilst the production cultivates a graphic and gloriously provocative nature, somehow, the most polarising component of the play is all of the different queer characters played. Both actors are straight-identifying and were vocal in the post-show Q&A about their allyship through their work. While this could cause a stir to some, these actors shine in the opportunity to bring forward the voices and stories of those who are voiceless, or maybe simply afraid to tell their story.

After the show ends, the cast and production crew come out for a small Q&A to talk about their efforts in the production. There is discussion amongst the cast and crew, based on a question from an audience member, about the longevity of the story. They mention that the script was written 12 years ago, and some believe that the Destiny Church protest this past February revived the script’s relevancy, which makes me cock an eyebrow.

Queer struggles internally, environmentally and with family will always be a timeless story. It takes me back to stories from survivors of the Aids crisis in the ’80s, in Chicago and Harlem, New York, specifically in the ballroom scene of black and Latino Americans who all join ballroom culture because their families don’t support them. A story told almost 50 years ago is still being told worldwide and is still happening in different cultures and periods. The attitudes and behaviours influenced by conservative societies, or driven by religious beliefs, are also core elements of the conflict in this play. Keep telling these stories, which have been silenced for so long.

The biggest takeaway from this panel discussion comes back to Chris Reddington’s stage production. On the stage in the middle of the room, with curtains on the left and right sides of the stage, there is just one piece of set – a big and beautiful Hibiscus flower. The flower was the sole production piece and it shone with lights and colours, thanks to the lighting by Giles Tanner, supported by Stage Manager Louise Topping.

Giles initially discussed having asterisks featured as the big prop piece, since they feature heavily in the original script. They mention the flower being simply an aesthetic choice, but after some deeper research, I learn that Hibiscus flowers can be associated with beauty and love. They can symbolise passion, respect, and the fleeting nature of beauty. In some cultures, like Hawaii, the Hibiscus represents the Aloha spirit, celebrating love, happiness, and peace. Whether or not this was intentional or discussed, it was a beautiful and symbolic representation of the play.

My favourite quote of the whole play was:

“I love to put balls in my mouth, too. It’s just Nike, bro – just do it.”

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