Review: ROTTERDAM, Trafalgar Studios 2, 29 July 2016

As a new year approaches, Alice is attempting to come out to her parents. Her partner of seven years, Fi, has a revelation of her own: she wants to become a man.

Jon Brittain's Rotterdam was warmly received last year when it premiered at Theatre503. Now playing at the Trafalgar Studios 2, it is a tender and very honest play that follows the couple as Fi starts to become Adrian, and the effect this has on both him and Alice.

Anna Martine is exceptional as Fi/Adrian. Her presence on stage is effortlessly natural as she veers from fragile to belligerent in a very raw depiction of the inner torments felt before and during transition. Her physical changes as Adrian begins his transition into a more masculine form are subtle but perfectly pitched. Alice McCarthy plays an acerbic and neurotic Alice who seems to have picked up some mannerisms and intonations directly from Edina in Absolutely Fabulous. She translates very well the internal conflicts and confusion as she finds herself vulnerable and in love with someone who is disappearing before her eyes.

The play is a strong four-hander: Ed Eales-White is very likeable as Josh, whose concern and love for both Alice and Adrian is touching, but perhaps a little too earnest at times. Jessica Clark is brilliant as the wildchild Lelani, whose designs on Alice lead to enigmatic and outrageous behaviour, along with some incredible dancing. She strikes a very good balance with the veneer of insouciance masking naïve vulnerability.

In his exploration of a very topical issue, Jon Brittain's play is bittersweet, respectful and genuinely funny. It is not preachy and does not avoid the trickier elements of the subject, especially when Alice asks Adrian what his transition will actually consist of. This is an honest and very human consideration of a subject that many people are still very ignorant about. It is also thought-provoking, raising questions about the fluidity of gender, sexuality and love. Do you fall in love with someone because of them as a person, or is their gender the overriding factor?

One distinct aspect to the play is its volume. Dutch Euro pop is thumping and there is a lot of arguing, shouting and angst; this is appropriate to the story, but can also be slightly headache-inducing.

The design and production values are very well considered. Donnacadh O'Brian's astute direction makes use of every inch of the small stage, which manages to encompass many diverse spaces, including a flat, two bars, an office and a port terminal, thanks to Ellan Parry's clever design.

Rotterdam is an engaging, funny and very human play that delves into a subject that needs exposure to a much wider audience.

Box Office: 0844 871 7632

www.trafalgar-studios.co.uk/Rotterdam

Picture Credit: Piers Foley Photography

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