Wow says Paul Smalley as he visited Home this week to review the play Toxic
This play was difficult at times, as it touched a raw nerve for me, because this story encapsulated a time in my life when a family member fell in love and slowly descended into the depths of drug use, sex parties and physical violence which eventually led to a break-up .. so different from the initial love and care that they thought would go on forever.
Anyway, enough of my personal tribulations, this story, based on true life events between Nathaniel J Hall (he/they) the writer and Josh Susan Enright (they/them) is a powerful production that touches the soul and showcases the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. HIV; would you tell your Mum?/ stigma/ race, and homophobia.
Set in Manchester in 2017 when being gay was still frowned upon, they meet in a club and immediately become friends and lovers bonding over their adversity and upbringing, but slowly, they descend into the drug infused and sexual culture of that period.
They don’t know when to let go, and sadly physical violence follows as the relationship becomes in all ways ‘toxic’.
The power of this production is that this is not only their story, but the story of many trapped in relationships that have reached their end.
The performances are brilliant;
from sensuality to anger then on to betrayal .. the list goes on.
With a wonderful production, designer and creative team, this is outstanding theatre and runs until 28th October before travelling the country.
If I can now go back to the beginning, and the effect this production had on me … can I thank Nathaniel and Josh for engaging in conversation after the performance as it certainly helped me in coming to terms with some of the aspects of suffering that can resurface.
