REVIEW - LESBIAN SPACE CRIME

It’s the festive season, and what’s more Christmassy than a Lesbian Space Crime. Ok, so it may not be A Christmas Carol, but don’t we have enough productions of that right now – so here’s a show completely unrelated to the Christmas season, but just as likely to spark joy.

Airlock Theatre launched in 2016 and have forged a name for themselves as producers of new writing, which garnered excellent reviews at the VAULT Festival.

Sue (Rosanna Suppa) is an astronaut, and a lesbian. They are currently going through a divorce and are in space. But Sue’s neurotic ex-wife Gaia sets out to ruin their life by informing NASA that they are a lesbian, plus she’s accused Sue of stealing from her (whilst they are in space), in the hopes of gaining custody of their son Jimmy. That may be the basis of the story, and yes it sounds ridiculous, but the performances bring this plot to life wonderfully, and ensure your investment in the characters.

Musical numbers are interwoven throughout the performance. The opening to the show is ‘This is a Lesbian Space Crime’, and later in the show comes ‘Your Horoscope gave me such Hollow Hopes’ – both containing witty, humorous lyrics. The songs are hilarious and catchy, I even went home singing the opening number. All four members of the cast give great vocal performances – but a special mention is necessary for Suppa whose voice was beautiful, particular in the more slowed down, tender moments.

The staging is minimal, but that’s to be expected of a fringe production, and it did not mean the production quality was diluted at all. In fact, it meant all eyes remained on the four performances throughout.

The part of this production I love the most, is the humour. The writing is exceptional, and all four members of the cast give excellent performances, each displaying impeccable comedic timing and delivery. The jokes are so subtly slipped into the lines that I feel you could go and watch the show a second time and laugh at completely different jokes, which you missed the first-time round.

The plot becomes increasingly chaotic as the show progresses. There is a part with iconic queer people in the cosmos, which reaches an ultimate chaotic peak, but we’re quickly brought back to the main plot. Metatheatrical devices are used throughout, with some character and fourth wall breaks, which add to the comedic value of the show.

One small gripe is that there were some sound issues at times. Two of the cast members weren’t projecting at a consistent volume throughout, whereas the other two were. I was worried I was going to miss some of the lines of this wonderful script, but I do understand that without microphones it’s difficult to keep the volume at an equal level throughout.

This is very much an ensemble production and all four performances here are brilliant. But a mention is necessary for Eleanor Colville, who takes on multiple roles in the production – the highlight is her performance as the calculating, eccentric Gaia. Colville gives a masterclass in character comedy and maintains a lively performance throughout the show – showing great stamina and not allowing her energy levels to diminish for a second.

Robbie Taylor Hunt dons shimmering lederhosen in the role of TWINC. His use of physical comedy in his performance is sensational and has the audience laughing non-stop. Elizabeth Chu’s quick changes led to an eventual break of character as she doesn’t quite manage the costume change rapidly enough which is hilarious.

The cast are all stars and Lesbian Space Crime is out of this world (sorry). Raucously funny from start to finish, this is queer theatre made by queer people, and it’s a joy to watch. This is a show that doesn’t take itself seriously at all – and that’s it’s charm.

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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