REVIEW: The MP, Aunty Mandy and Me showing in King’s Head Theatre 15th May – 4th June 2023

‘A rabbit hole of sex, drugs and personal growth’ ★★★★

Our main character Dom begins this play adrift; caught between a dull existence in his small northern village of Brinton and the panic attacks that keep him from moving anywhere else, Dom spends most of his time wondering how to get his meager Instagram likes higher while also floundering in the highly limited dating pool of local gays. This all changes when a friend of his Dad, Tory grandee Alan, pushes Dom to challenge their local MP over the impending closure of Brinton’s train station, a move that sends Dom down a rabbit hole of sex, drugs and personal growth (the new rock and roll).

Along the way, the play tackles some quite interesting themes, from a quite domestic picture of drug abuse to a nuanced look at sexual predation and victimization among men. Sound like rough going? Thankfully not, as the play strikes a wise balance between being light when it’s building each character up. and engaging when the inevitable dramatic moments come.

This is all helped along by a great set, what looks like a photographer’s studio with a white sheet background and an impressive array of studio lights. Thematically this fits with Dom’s character and his ever-present quest to climb the ladder of #Instagay influencers, but it also fits as a kind of media venue for Dom to tell as he goes deeper and deeper into what might end up a salacious tale fit for the tabloids. The practical consequence of this setup is that both lighting and sound can be used to great effect without breaking immersion, most notably in the sequences where it transforms into a nightclub with blinding realism, or when the atmosphere needs to shift for significant narrative moments. Technically demanding for all involved, but pulled off with clear success.

Throughout all this writer and performer Rob Ward portrays Dom quite well, crafting a character who easily wins sympathy through his earnestness and leaving you feeling all the dramatic beats of his life as they happen along with him. Additionally, gestures and accents are used to good effect when Ward portrays others, everyone from Dom’s MP to his mother, but certain characters did feel they were lacking in distinction and felt more like caricatures as Ward tried to bring them to life.

The same can’t be said for the writing though, with every character from the script coming across as endearingly flawed. Dom himself is refreshing thanks to the fact that he is neither celebrated nor vilified for his sexuality but instead occupies a grounded and complicated space in between, vulnerable and apart, sometimes by his own choice and sometimes not. His friends and family all have similar depth, such as his mother being caught between love and addiction or Alan who somehow balances being a clear chauvinist while also deeply caring about Dom’s well-being. Most importantly, the motivations and actions of what might be called the villain of the piece are left peppered through with ambiguities, meaning that both during the play and afterwards there’s much to ponder over. At no point in the script does Ward ever veer into crude characterisation or melodrama and the play is immensely better off for it.

Ultimately, it’s a good ride but perhaps lacking a bit of edge or spice to make it really stand out. Despite its seemingly hard themes it’s a warm enough piece that I believe anyone would enjoy, but all the same it might never end up as anyone’s favourite. But you really can’t go wrong by seeing it - high quality theatre through and through.

The MP, Aunty Mandy and Me showing in King’s Head Theatre, 15th May – 4th June 2023

Box office: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/the-mp-aunty-mandy-me

Written by Rob Ward

Lighting Design by Will Monks

Sound Design by Iain Armstrong

Directed by Clive Judd (Assistant Director: Tabitha Rose Hughes)

Produced by Max Emerson (Emerson and Ward)

Reviewed by Harry Conway