Review: Je Suis Charlie is ‘an hour of fearless and thought-provoking theatre on the experience of queer life today’

This Easter weekend, Manchester-based queer arts company Rough Boy debut their first production at Manchester arts venue, 53two and it delivers an hour of fearless and thought-provoking theatre on the experience of queer life today.

Written by Rough Boy’s award-winning creative director Nick Maynard and directed by Scott Le Crass, Je Suis Charlie is a black comedy that is mostly about freedom – the freedom to live one’s own life as one sees fit, free of the outdated and quite often unquestioning prejudices of the religious institutions of the world.

Sensitive subject matter

Taking its name from the tragic shootings in Paris in 2015 at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the play covers sensitive subjects which are still topical today.

But far from being deterred, the creative team does not pull any punches. Instead, they roll up their sleeves and dive head first into the debates around freedom of speech and religious expression while mostly avoiding the temptation (no doubt borne of a first-hand frustration) to cause offense to some in the process.

Nefarious purpose

The play centres around the eponymous Charlie (Ben Rigby), a cartoonist with an acerbic wit, who, after arranging to meet Mike (Ben Bradfield) through Grindr, invites him round to his flat. It soon becomes apparent, however, that, despite looking like his profile picture, Mike has an altogether more nefarious purpose for agreeing to the seemingly innocuous hook-up.

Mike is in fact a Christian fundamentalist, who, after taking offense at one of Charlie’s cartoon depictions of Jesus Christ, is on a mission of retribution, intending to kill the artist in his own home.

Gamut of emotions

What follows is a back and forth between the pair that covers the whole gamut of emotions from fear and inner turmoil to finally acceptance and reconciliation as Charlie attempts to talk down his would-be killer and find some common ground between them

Both actors are fantastic and captivating throughout, delivering a performance which at times is very raw and emotionally resonant and making the most of the very minimalist set-up of 53two’s intimate stage.

There is a sense, however, that the play does, at times, take on a bit of a mocking tone when discussing the sensibilities of people of faith, which seems a little out of keeping with the play’s central message of acceptance.

The tone of the performance also seems to shift rather jarringly from being deadly serious and almost – ironically – like a sermon one moment to making lewd sexual jokes the next.

This tendency to break up the otherwise serious debate does seem a little incongruent with the otherwise serious tone of the play and can be a little jarring at times.

The jokes were well received by the audience but it’s the central message of acceptance and finding a common ground for understanding between people that is the real take away from the show, providing a hopeful outlook for the future.

Je Suis Charlie is at 53two 28-30 March with tickets priced £12. To buy tickets click here.