June

What do you get when you take the ‘fab’ out of drag? You might get something like Gen Z Gender Collective’s “June”. This sassy, darkly comedic #soloshow has much to be admired: Billy isn’t your stereotypical, fabulous, over-the-top ‘queen’. After all, how glamorous could the life of a Tesco checkout clerk be? 🤷‍♀️

Throughout, we get vivid glimpses of Billy’s not-so-alluring life & his fall from grace after a career-killing performance👀 The audience is brought along for the whirlwind of the ride that is Billy’s everyday dealings with a crippling chronic illness. As his self-esteem suffers, so do his relationships with his best mate & former boy toy🙂🙃

The script has all the markings of a beautiful tragedy— bringing life & loss to both June’s wondrous past & Billy’s grim present, as he struggles to move past the disaster that was his last show & come to grips with his health condition.

But while Stephen Ledger’s more subdued take may have some refreshing potential, a fresh-faced young actor, cast as an aged, ‘past his prime’ performer, is a bit of a jarring choice🤔 In his efforts to be as cool & collected as his ‘unbothered’ character, Ledger also struggles to keep the high energy that Shehrzadae Moeed’s confident, self-referential text demands.

All in all, “June” is still a promising debut from a young writer with a script that delivers quite a few gut-wrenching yet comedic, moments. We also get the gift of a different type of queer narrative, far from #yasqween clichés🎁🎉 Match the casting to this uniquely compelling character & you’ve got yourself a winner. 2/5⭐

#darkcomedy #londontheatre #fringetheatre