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A magical coming-of-age story, Dumbledore Is So Gay wonders, what if we could turn back the clock and do our lives over? Summary
Rating
Excellent
Dumbledore Is So Gay, written by Robert Holtom, has come to The Little at Southwark Playhouse after runs at VAULT Festival in 2020 and The Pleasance in 2021. I didn’t see the previous versions, but if it has been allowed to brew and develop between runs then I can’t imagine why this isn’t the definitive, matured version – three turns should do it, eh?
A young Harry Potter fan, Jack, played by Alex Britt, starts to have some weird feelings about his friend, Ollie, played by Martin Sarreal. His perfect nose and alluring smell cause some strange stirrings for Jack, and a coming-of-age story unfolds. The story that plays out is a not-entirely-unfamiliar one, about the trials and tribulations of growing up gay in a world that wasn’t welcoming. Still, the way in which it happens is effortlessly appealing; Holtom’s delightful script is funny, sensitive, endearing and joyful.
The unique twist of this narrative uses Jack’s love of Harry Potter. When things don’t go at all well for Jack and Ollie he wishes for another chance, a do-over to make things right. In a Hermione-esque flourish Jack pulls out a Time-Turner, a magical device that he can use to wind back the clock and try again. With lessons learned and a foreknowledge of what could be, Jack relives the years before. While it might sound a bit silly, it really appealed to a part of me that relates to wanting to try again, wishing some things different or easier. But, even if you’re not making the same mistakes as before, there’s no doubt a whole new set of problems that will come about, as Jack finds out all too soon.
Wholly sparkling, the show has a magical sheen to it. The astronomical, ethereal set by Natalie Johnson and enchanted lighting by Rory Beaton are the icing on the cake of the storytelling. Alongside Britt, Sarreal plays a number of characters as well as Ollie, and they are joined by Charlotte Dowding who has a number of roles including Jack’s mum, the French teacher, and girlfriend to each of the boys in alternative timelines. Excellent direction from Tom Wright really allows these fantastic actors to show off their talent. A tangible chemistry between the trio pulls you in and allows to sit with them in the moment.
I would recommend this play to nearly everyone I know, and wish I had my own time-turner to experience it for the first time all over again. But look, there is an elephant in this room, and it is Dumbledore. More specifically, his origins in the mind of JK Rowling. The controversy that now surrounds her may cause strong feelings, one way or the other, about the use of her material in this play. Make up your own minds on this one but be sensitive to the feelings of others. References to 1997’s favourite wizard are used as a narrative device, and for nineties/noughties nostalgia in Dumbledore Is So Gay, and Rowling’s lack of trans allyship is noted in the script.
Written by: Robert Holtom
Directed by: Tom Wright
Produced by: Hannah Elsy Productions with Jon Kingsley
Set and Costume by: Natalie Johnson
Lighting by: Rory Beaton
Music and Sound by: Peter Wilson
Movement by: Rachael Nanyonjo
Dumbledore Is So Gay is playing at Southwark Playhouse until 23 September 2023. Further information and bookings can be found here.
