Me, As A Penguin (10/06/10, WYP)

With a weird title like Me, As A Penguin and a gay theme, it was clear that this would be a play for me! Just an hour long, and featuring a cast of 4, including one character in a penguin suit, the play was absolutely wonderful. What made it better was that the cast and director had a Q & A session after the performance, which we weren't expecting, and I'm sure they don't do every night. 

Penguin features Stitch, a young gay man who works in a small town's wool shop but who is visiting his heavily-pregnant and hilarious sister Liz in Hull. The play takes place in Liz's flat, with her husband Mark, and Dave, Stitch's crush and zoo-worker. Guess which one wears the penguin suit? It's a funny, warm, touching piece about 4 well-rounded characters. I particularly identified with Stitch as I used to work in a tea room in a small town, before finding my feet in the gay world at uni and deciding that I didn't actually want the gay lifestyle that the bars and clubs promote, and Stitch eventually decides the same. 

The writer, Tom Wells, put much of himself into the play, and his writing is reminiscent of Victoria Wood or Alan Bennett, the humour is very Northern, quite gentle in places, with a bite as well. I'd happily go and see this again if it were to tour further. It only celebrated its 1st anniversary with these performances at WYP.