Online nostalgia and queer pleasure mix superbly in Happy Meal at Brixton House
“I was born in exactly the right body. You were born in exactly the right body. These journeys we’ve taken were the journeys we were meant to take in order to find ourselves and maybe even each other…”
There’s a sweetness on the coronary heart of Tabby Lamb’s Happy Meal that makes it extraordinarily moreish, much more satisfying than the empty energy of its namesake. At only a (extremely participating) hour lengthy, it delivers the type of endorphin rush that feels all too uncommon within the theatre, tipping us out onto the streets of Brixton in a cloud of queer pleasure. In that respect, you’ll be able to see why the present was successful ultimately 12 months’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
There’s additionally a depth to it which suggests it hits house tougher than you may anticipate. Bette and Alec’s friendship is birthed on-line within the dial-up period after which progresses by the completely different social media platforms of the second and although we’re not sure if they could ever meet IRL, we’re left in little question that this can be a connection that’s as profound as any within the ‘real’ world. In some methods, it’s a relationship that’s stronger for the protected area it presents.
For they’re each navigating the realities of being trans. Al forthcoming concerning the years-long means of transitioning that they’re decided to take, Bette discovering it harder to share her self regardless of essentially the most gregarious digital presence. And their friendship isn’t all the time easy crusing in any respect, there’s an actual sense of how deeply you’ll be able to damage and be damage by these you belief, even on-line. Lamb evokes a formidable emotional vary in miniature right here.
Their dialogue is the important thing, splicing noughties pop cultural references with hard-won knowledge (that quote above is killer in its supply). And matched with a peerless manufacturing from Jamie Fletcher, Ben Stones’ completely realised set design housing endlessly ingenious video work from Daniel Denton, the manufacturing captures a lot of the element of residing life on-line (with interrupted connections) and the way that may impression on re-entering IRL.
Sam Crerar and Tommi Bryson ship nice performances too. From penguin-suited welcomes to Patrick Wolf-inspired pleasure, it’s arduous to not get swept up on this evolving relationship. You really feel their differing vulnerabilities acutely, even after they’re not being their finest selves, and there’s such sincerity within the authencity that they bring about to the smallest particulars (‘holding hands’ on the bus – be nonetheless my coronary heart!), the present can’t assist however make you content. And lord is aware of we’d like extra queer tales like this to go together with the trauma extra ceaselessly programmed.